You have thought about becoming a foster parent but don’t know where to start. The staff of Haven understand this is a big moment! Reach out through our website, and we will take it from there! We will answer any questions you have to see if becoming a foster parent is the right fit for you. Contact us to speak with someone today.
Before submitting a formal application to become a potential foster care family, individuals are required to attend one information session on foster care with Haven. This session covers any basic questions about foster care, encourages potential parents to consider what type of child they would be a good fit for, and supports potential foster parents as they determine what is best for their family. This is the also the time to help foster parents understand how the system works and if foster care is ultimately a fit for their family.
All Haven foster families are provided an orientation and training. Haven takes great pride in educating prospective foster care families about their options. Upon completion of the training program, all participants will be certified as therapeutic foster parents. See our orientation and training page for more details.
Haven will assist all prospective foster care families in creating a detailed family profile that will include an analysis of the family’s strengths, the trainings they have attended, and their preparedness for welcoming a child into their home. It is an evaluation process of the background and lives of foster care parents, as well as an in-home review and safety check of the resource home. Additionally, it is a chance to work with your case manager on determining the age range, gender, and needs that you would be best suited to support. The family profile is essential to all foster care placements and must be completed prior to a placement.
Haven will work with community and government agencies to assist in the placement of children in need of a foster care home with our pre-approved foster care families. Placements can sometimes occur quickly, with little background information provided about the child. Haven foster families need to be ready to take a placement of a child with as little information as just age and gender. When deciding on a match for placement, priority will be given to keeping sibling sets together when at all possible. When determining a match, Haven Foster Care will consider the ages of any children already in the home, the age of the client(s), the circumstances bringing that child into care, the parenting styles of the foster care family, and the temperament of the child(ren). Haven staff will coordinate with all agencies involved in the placement of the child to ensure a successful match with the goal of reunification first, as well as a permanent plan for the child if needed.
Throughout the placement of a child in your home, your case manager will be actively engaged with you and the child. Haven’s case managers have a small caseload with a maximum of six families. The case manager will support and guide you to assist in making proper choices that will benefit your family and the child(ren) in your care throughout the entire foster care process. Haven’s case manager will be the liaison between the foster family and the county by which the child was placed. She/He will provide the county with a monthly report on both the foster family and the foster child. The foster care supervisor will be actively involved with you as well, reviewing your case on a weekly basis with your case manager, attending ISP and team meetings, and being a support for you and your family. Haven uses a multi-faceted team approach to support your family and children in care.
