Maybe you’ve seen advertisements encouraging families to consider opening their home to a child. Maybe someone in your neighborhood cares for foster children and has described how rewarding and fulfilling the experience has been. Maybe you’ve been thinking about it and considering it for quite some time. Whatever the case, you are feeling called from within to look into the possibility of fostering a child.
Your open, caring heart is in the right place. The need is there, now more than ever. More than 9,000 children in Oklahoma are currently wards of the state. While nearly half of these children will eventually find homes with extended family, the remainder rely on foster parents to provide loving homes that are a safe and welcome refuge from difficult, unsafe situations.
Foster parents provide temporary housing and care to children who are in transition because their home has been deemed unsafe or inappropriate. The goal of the program is to reunite the child with his or her family if at all possible, and a traditional foster parent works with the Department and the child’s birth family towards that end. If it will be impossible for the child to return to the family home, however, the foster parent may apply to care for the child on a permanent basis through guardianship or adoption.
Beginning the process of becoming a foster parent is straightforward and clearly delineated, and TFI provides support and guidance every step of the way. Spend some time on our website to learn more about the role of a foster parent, then fill out the application when you’re ready to start the process. The process includes a home visit, fingerprinting and background checks, as well as extensive training to prepare you for this worthy, meaningful commitment.
Basic requirements to foster a child:
- Must be 21 or over
- Must be in good health
- Must have enough space to accommodate additional children
- Must have an income sufficient to handle the needs of your household
- Any marital status is welcome, but if you have a spouse or partner, they must also participate in the training and home visit
- Must be able to nurture and provide love and care to a child
Become a foster parent—and positively impact a child’s future with your love and care. Contact TFI to learn more!