Certification Requirements for Foster Care

Children who are placed in foster homes are subject to standards set by state laws and regulations. Foster homes must comply with a home study, and prospective foster parents must be able to meet the child’s health and safety needs. Foster parents must also be in compliance with criteria concerning physical condition, character, motivation, and willingness to cooperate with the agency or district in providing services and carrying out the permanency plan.

The key qualification is being able to meet the physical, emotional and developmental needs of a child. Foster care agencies are able to help you evaluate whether this is something you might be able to do. They do this through a process that helps you and the agency evaluate your capabilities. In addition, most agencies would expect that you meet the following:

Provide 24-hour care and supervision on a daily basis
Be able to care for yourself financially without the child’s stipend
Be flexible, patient and understanding
Have a sense of humor
Have a home free of fire and safety hazards
Complete a criminal/protective services background check
Have the ability to work as a member of a team

Both single and dual-parent families make great foster parents. New York also welcomes same-sex partners as foster parents.

Who Can Become A Foster Parent in New York?

A foster family household or the relative’s family household must determine compliance with the following criteria for certification or approval:

Age: Foster parents must be over the age of 21.

Health: Each member of the prospective foster family household must be in good physical and mental health and free from communicable diseases. Physical handicaps or illness of foster parents or members of their household must be taken into consideration only if they affect the ability to provide adequate foster care or may affect the child’s adjustment to the foster family. Cases will be evaluated on an individual basis with the assistance of a medical consultant when indicated. A written, physician’s report on the health of a family, including a complete physical examination of the applicant, must be filed with the agency initially and biennially thereafter. Additional medical reports must be furnished upon the request of either the agency worker or the foster parent.

Employment: Employment of a foster parent outside the home must be permitted when there are suitable plans for the care and supervision of the child, including after school and during the summer. Such plans must be made part of the foster family record and must receive prior agency approval, unless only one of the two foster parents is working outside the home.

Marital Status: The marital status of an applicant may be a factor in determining whether a certification or approval will be granted only if it affects the ability to provide adequate care to foster children. Changes in marital status must be reported to the authorized agency; existing certificates or letters of approval may be revoked, and new certificates or letters of approval issued consistent with the best interests of the child.

Character References Each applicant for certification or approval must provide the agency with the names of three people who may be contacted as references. The agency must either interview the references in person or seek signed statements from them that attest to the applicant’s moral character, mature judgment, ability to manage financial resources, and capacity for developing a meaningful relationship with children.

Ability and Motivation: The agency must explore each applicant’s ability to be a foster parent and must discuss the following topics:

The reasons the applicant seeks to become a foster parent.
The applicant’s understanding of the foster parent role, including the responsibilities of foster parents in relation to the child, the agency, and the family.
The applicant’s concerns and questions about foster care services.
The applicant’s psychological readiness to assume responsibility for a child and his/her ability to provide for a child’s physical and emotional needs.
The agency’s role and authority to supervise the placement.
The attitudes that each person who would be sharing living accommodations with the child in foster care has about foster care and his/her concept of a foster child’s role in the family.
The awareness of the impact that foster care responsibilities have upon family life, relationships, and current lifestyle.
The principles related to the development and discipline of children; and the need of each child for guidance, a supportive relationship, appropriate stimulation, and the opportunity to identify with a parent or surrogate whose history reflects a value system that is constructive.
A person’s self-assessment of their capacity to provide a child with a stable and meaningful relationship

Next Step to Becoming a New York Foster Parent

Pass the Foster Parent Homes Study

Foster homes are certified (the term used for non-relative homes) or approved (the term used for relatives) according to the same standards. If the household meets the above criteria, then a home study and background check of the members of the foster family household or the relative’s family household must be complete.

Complete Foster Parent Training Requirements

Additional foster parent training is also required. Most families receive approval and certification within six months.