How much money does it cost to become a foster parent (starting out)?

Question

what are the requirements in Central Florida? and what would be the VERY first step to begin the process. thanks.

Answer 1

Get the home study done through social services.

While they do provide you with a stipend to pay for the child's needs, you do need to have a room with a crib/bed and other furniture.  Sometimes, they will provide some furniture to you, but not always.

Answer 2

I would get in contact with social services. I think you get paid, you shouldn't have to pay anything.

Answer 3

go to your local dcfs office and get the paper work, they will first do a criminal background check on you and all that lives in your home, then they will do a home study, safety issues and you will go to parenting classes, they will also check your water supply to the house, etc. etc.

Answer 4

Call your local childrens service office or private foster care agencies in your area.  

It shouldn't cost anything to get started, just time.

If you are apporved you will need to spend on supplies like sheets for extra bed, maybe Dr visits to check your health and that sort of thing.  A home study will have requirements that will cost such as a locked box for medicines, smoke alarms etc...  

If you become an approved foster care provider you will receive a subsidy which is to cover the expenses for the child, it is not to be considered an income.  The financial benefit of becoming one is there are tax breaks and many offers for discounts, free trainings and such that non providers don't have access to.  Good luck, we need families!

Answer 5

It doesn't cost anything to become a foster parent.  They might charge you for the fingerprints (most of the time you're not charged), but you can get the expense reimbursed.  

Go to http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/fostercare/no... to find out the states and find the contact information to get going on it!

You're on your way to an exciting & wonderful journey.  We've been foster parents for two years.  We do short term care generally (right now we have a young lady in our home for probably the next eight or so months, but that's not typical for us), so we've had a number of kids come into our home.  We've always enjoyed pouring into their lives.  In our experience, they've been great people who've just had a difficult thing happen (losing or being removed from their parents home...and the death of parents, abuse, neglect or abandonment that brought that on).

Go for it!

Answer 6

You can call an Agency like Lutheran Social Services or Catholic Charities and they (along with the State) will License you as a foster Home.  There is no cost involved.  You gat a monthly stipend for being a Foster family only when you are caring for a foster child.

Answer 7

You dont have to pay social services anything to begin fostering. However, it may cost you money to fix up a room or buy necessities once you are approved. You are actually given so much money a month per child to provide for them.

Best of luck.

Answer 8

I would contact the department or agency responsible for foster care. They will send information to you regarding what you are required to do (ie assessment as foster parent) and the support you are entitled to.

In Australia, foster carers actually get an allowance to help support the foster child - covers food, clothing medical etc. Should think it would be the same elsewhere - you are the one doing the service.

Good on you for wanting to do your bit! All the best.

Answer 9

If you go through DPS or some other state agency, the costs are minimal, but they are there.  At least in the state we are proceeding with foster adopt, you need to pay for a background check for everyone over the age 18 (about $50 a piece), you also need to take cpr courses (another 50 per person) and get your house inspected ($100-$200).  So probably several hundred dollars not including supplies for the child.

You will also be required to take around 40-60 hours of courses (PRIDE) and then get a home study done (but through the state or a private company contracting with the state it should be free).  If you were paying for the home study yourself it would be from $300-$2,500).

The only other costs are what you would have for any other child; a bedroom set, clothes, their own/shared room and depending on the age of the child (stroller, car seats, high chair, crib, infant swings).  This cost can vary significantly depending on how much of this you already have and if you buy it used or new and if you get differing items to be ready or you just wait until you know for sure what child you will be getting (boy/girl/size).

Good luck!

Once you get the child, you will get a small stipend for expenses, state Medicaid insurance, and sometimes daycare.  I am doubtful this will pay for the expenses for a child, but it should help somewhat.  If you plan on adopting, the stipend usually stops once you adopt them and then you are fully responsible like any other child you have and you can get them on your health insurance at that point.

Answer 10

It does not cost, they actually pay you.  You do need to have the right stuff to care for the age of children you are willing to accept.  Like a bed/crib, dresser, car seat and things like that.  But you should also be able to get help with those things if you need it.

Answer 11

i am a foster parent of 1 and a adoptive parent of 4 ,all siblings. you don't have to pay anything. they will pay you. the amount varies from state to state and case by case. but from experience when you find out about the child you are going to be fostering go ahead and purchase necessity things yourself. don't wait on dss to provide those things for you because my placement worker of my newborns that i have taken into my care did not even ask me if i had a car seat to pick them up from the hospital in. so i look at it as though they were truly mine and bought those things myself. good luck. and i hope you become a foster parent if you are not already. we need more foster parents. i'm already prying you. and e-mail me anytime for any other advice on fostering or adopting.