What do Foster Parents do?
Each year in Florida there are 12, 000 to 13, 000 children who are not able to live at home or sleep in their own beds because an adult family member has abused or neglected them. Their homes are no longer safe places to
live for a while and, sometimes, forever.
These children are newborns, elementary and middle school students, and teenagers. They have brothers and
sisters that they do not want to be separated from, and they are members of all races and nationalities. Many have
hidden wounds, and some of the children have serious medical problems and handicaps.
Where do these children go when they can no longer remain safely in their homes? If there are no relatives who can take them in, they must live with a foster family.
Foster parents are special people--they possess the gift of being able to open their hearts and homes to children in need of safety, love and nurturing and then, when the time is right, let them go again.
What sets foster parents apart is their ability to love a child like one of their own, regardless of whether the child lives with them for a month or for a year or more. Foster parents have the challenging task of providing an atmosphere that helps children heal and prepare to go back home - or move on to a new, permanent home. Foster parents are a vital resource for these children during the period between a painful past and an uncertain future.
Hundreds of children in Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties are in need of loving foster homes!
Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent
ü Call Kids Central at 352-873-6332 to register for an orientation class in your area. You will be provided with a date, time and location of the next available orientation class, where you can learn more about foster parenting.
ü Attend the orientation and complete a basic questionnaire.
ü Sign up for a MAPP (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) class, which is the required training course for foster parents in Florida. MAPP classes are usually held once a week in three-hour sessions, over a ten-week period. Schedules may vary based on need.
ü Attend and successfully complete the 30-hour MAPP class.
ü Satisfy background screening requirements for criminal history and reports of child abuse.
ü Participate in home and health inspections. A medical exam or doctor’s statement may be required for applicants under a doctor’s care, or with a physical or mental health disorder.
ü Complete character references, including personal and job related. School references are needed if you have school-aged children in your home. All of the information collected during this process is part of your “Home Study,” which will be submitted to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for approval.
ü Finally, approval is given by DCF and your foster home license is issued. Then, the Kids Central Placement Office will contact you when children are available for placement in your home.
Would you like to learn more about becoming a foster parent? Perhaps the following Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) will answer some of your questions. If you still have unanswered questions after reviewing the FAQ, please feel free to call us at 352-873-6332. Kids Central office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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