Foster Care

What is Foster Care?

Foster care is a protective service offered when children must be removed from their homes for a planned, temporary period of time. Foster families provide for the physical and emotional safety of children and, in the interim, allow them the ability to have a stable home environment in foster care.

The primary goal of foster care is to reunify families. While a child is residing in a foster home, a variety of services are provided to parents and the child(ren)-with the objective of resolving the problems that led to placement.

While some of these children have been abused and neglected, others need alternative care because the family is experiencing a crisis, or because the needs of the child(ren) cannot be met in the home.

Thinking about becoming a Foster Parent?

Being a foster parent is a big responsibility that brings with it big rewards. Currently, 2,000 children in Duval and Nassau County live with foster care families who provide much needed love and support.

Foster parenting is a commitment to make a meaningful contribution to a child's life. We help you through the process of becoming a foster parent by providing you with training, assistance and support.

During the time that a child resides in a foster home, foster parents provide the same care that the child's biological parents would. Foster parents also help the child(ren) understand that they will be either be returning to their own families or they may be adopted into a new family.

What is involved in becoming a Foster Parent?

As a foster parent, you'll experience the joy of parenting-even if it is temporary. You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing you have made a positive difference in the life of a child.

The requirements for becoming a foster parent are not complicated:

• You may be married or single.
• You may own your home, or rent.
• You must be at least 18 years of age
• You can work outside the home
• You must be able to work in partnership with the system of care

Each child has a social worker who will assist you in providing medical, educational and other supportive help that the child will need. In order to ensure the quality of care, prospective foster parents must complete an application to determine that their home meets minimum standards of health, safety and care-as well as receive training about foster parenting.

• Attend an orientation meeting where you will be given a detailed overview of the foster care program, the licensing and application process.
• Participate in parent preparation training, which helps applicants make an informed decision about fostering or adopting.

With the help of a counselor, you will:

• Complete a family assessment for fostering or adopting.
• Complete a background screening.
• Complete character references.

During this time, a study of your home will be conducted. A background check of law enforcement records will be made for you and your family. Your friends, relatives and employers will be contacted to give character references for you and your family.

When you have successfully completed the preparation sessions and the home study has been completed with a recommendation for you to become a foster parent, you will receive a license to be a foster parent.

Please call 904.421.5800 to become a foster parent today!

• Click here to download the Duval County and Nassau counties MAPP schedules.

Pre registration is required to attend MAPP training. Please call (904) 421-5864.