Foster Family Frequently Asked Questions

Foster care is a temporary arrangement until a child’s permanent plan is achieved, such as reunification, adoption or guardianship. The goal of foster care is to provide a safe, stable, nurturing environment to children removed from their birth families.

A foster parent is a person who cares for children/youth who have entered the foster care system. Fostering a child is an opportunity to provide a nurturing and loving environment to a child during a time of crisis.

You will be required to successfully pass a background check and have the ability to provide a safe and suitable home environment to youth. Commitment to the process is also required, which may be in the form of ongoing training, home visits, check-ins, etc.

You must be at least 21 years of age and there is no age limit to be a foster parent. The only requirement is that a foster parent is physically capable of providing care to youth.

Yes! There is no requirement regarding a foster parent’s marital status.

Yes! However, if working, a foster parent is responsible for any childcare.

Yes! EA Family Services does not discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.

Yes. Foster parents must be able to show that they are able to cover all costs of care, prior to reimbursement.

No. The only requirement is that a safe and suitable living environment is provided.

You are not required to have parenting experience prior to becoming a foster parent. However, you will be expected to provide a safe, nurturing, and suitable home while following best parenting practices. We will provide this level of training.

No. This does not disqualify a person from certifying as a foster parent. However, regulations may indicate that fences or other precautions be applied, based on the age of the placed youth.

Yes! Certified foster parents are reimbursed with a stipend to cover the cost of the youth’s care, which includes housing, food, clothing, activities, etc. At a minimum, this stipend is currently $1,031 per month, based on full-time care. However, this rate can be increased, depending on the specific needs of the youth involved.

EA Family Services offers pre-approval training as well as ongoing training to further foster parents’ skill sets.

Yes! EA Family Services employs transporters to aid with court-ordered appointments and other mandatory meetings when foster parents are unable to do so.

Yes! Regulations dictate that all foster parents be licensed. In addition, all adults living in a household with foster youth must be able to pass a background check.

EA Family Services understands that families need breaks at times. We will do our best to assist in finding a safe and suitable respite option, if needed.

Yes! Foster youth are not required to have their own room. However, if a room is shared, consideration should be given to age, gender and level of development.

Foster parents are responsible for maintaining doctor and dental appointments as indicated by need. Most foster youth are covered by Medi-Cal insurance.

No. Foster youth can be referred from any county in California, as well as out-of-state, in certain situations.

Currently, the maximum number of total youth in a given household is six. EA will work with you to determine the most appropriate capacity for your situation.

Currently, two. However, those with large living spaces may be approved to have four in the same room.

Each certified family has a social worker and office dedicated to their family that they may call upon. In addition, after hours, EA Family Services employs the use of a 24-7 on-call response team, trained to handle these sorts of situations.

There is a prevalent need for all ranges of youth, from 0 to 21 years of age. Currently, however, the age range with the highest level of need are teens.

This can vary greatly, depending on a person’s situation. On average, this can range from four to twelve weeks.

We will receive a referral from a placing agency (e.g., county CPS, social services, etc.) describing the needs of the youth. We will then reach out to our certified foster parents to find the most appropriate home for the youth.

On any given day, there are over 430,000 children in foster care. They are in your community or the surrounding areas, and they need a loving home. Often, these children have been removed from their caregivers because of abuse, neglect, and/or other unsafe circumstances.

The majority of youth in care have been removed from their biological families for a variety of reasons. However, foster youth may come from additional situations as well.

Children coming into foster care are not only processing the trauma of the abuse or neglect they faced at home, but the shock of being removed from their family, and placed into a stranger’s home. While the goal as a foster parent is to provide a safe and loving home, a child whose life has been turned upside down may not understand or acknowledge your open-heartedness. It’s likely they will be upset and in extreme distress. Keep in mind, building rapport and trust takes time and patience.

The length of time varies and will depend on the child’s family situation. For some, their stay in foster care is brief; while for others, foster care lasts longer until a permanent option becomes available.

EA Family Services will work with our foster families to maintain a long-term commitment and permanency for these youth. We can also help assist with an adoption process, when applicable.