A foster child is one whose own parents are physically or emotionally unable to provide for their needs. The child may have been abused, neglected or abandoned. He or she often has experienced physical, emotional or social deprivation in the early years. Children needing foster care come from all races and range in age from birth to 18.

Allen County Juvenile Court places children in the custody of the agency. In other cases, the family may voluntarily seek help from Children Services and ask that foster care be provided for their children until a family crisis is over. Children may be referred by schools, hospitals, churches, social agencies, or other communities. The rules affecting children entering foster care are set up and monitored by the state and federal governments.

A child’s stay in foster care can vary. Some children may only need a brief stay while relatives or kinship placements are found. Others may need a lengthier stay that could involve several months. During the time children are in foster care, the agency works intensively with the family to reunify the child as quickly as possible. The time varies depending on safety factors in each individual situation. In a family where the safety factors cannot be resolved, the agency looks to find a more permanent placement for the child as quickly as possible.

We need all kinds of families, but most importantly, we need:

• Families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to children.
• Families who are willing to provide a home for emotionally or behaviorally troubled youth.
• Families who are willing to take children with special medical needs.
• Families who are willing to take children on an emergency basis.
• Families that will take in sibling groups.
• Families who are willing to foster mentally retarded or handicapped children, pregnant teens, adolescents, mother/baby groups and drug-affected infants.

The Ohio Department of Human Services requires that all foster parents be licensed. You need to be 21 years of age or older, and you can either be married, single, or a co-parent. The licensing process includes an interview with a social worker (home study), pre-service training, a medical report, references, and a check of the physical condition of your home, along with a fire inspection.

A home study consists of interviews with the foster parent(s). The social worker will want to become better acquainted with your family and will give you the opportunity to learn more about the agency.

The social worker will ask you to share background information which will help the worker get acquainted with your family. Social workers are looking for families who can cope with stress and meet the needs of a child relatively well. We do not expect to meet perfect families. The social worker will, of course, want to see your home and to meet your children. It does not matter whether you live in a house or an apartment. It is only necessary that you have a suitable dwelling with space to accommodate additional children, and that there are no hazards to the health or safety of a foster child.

Families are not paid to care for foster children, however, the agency provides a monthly board check for food, clothing, and incidentals. The amount varies with the age and special needs of the child, as well as the level of care provided to the child, and is considered reimbursement for necessary expenses. In addition to the board rate, Allen County Children Services assumes the cost of needed medical and dental care. There also is some childcare reimbursement available for daycare for working foster parents.