Support & Strategies Blogs for Foster Parents

Bookmark this page for easy access – we regularly update this collection of foster care essentials, serving as a go-to resource guide for current and prospective foster parents.

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Frequently Searched Blog Topics About Foster Care and Adoption

  • Foster family holding up a silhouette of a house cut out 5 Tips to Prepare for a Foster Care or Adoption Home Study
    If you have begun to learn about the foster or adoption process, you've probably heard the term "Home Study." This study helps social workers ensure you're ready to provide a home…
  • Foster mother reading a book to her child How to Prepare for a Home Study for Foster Care or Adoption
    The U.S. foster care system works to reunite children with their biological family or primary caregiver whenever possible. However, recent data shows that less than 50% of…
  • Foster parent holding an umbrella with a young girl CASA: What is a Court-Appointed Special Advocate?
    You might have a Court-Appointed Special Advocate Volunteer (CASA) for your foster child. Who are these special volunteers, and how does their advocacy help foster children? CASA…
  • foster parent sitting on a chair with young boy Kinship Care is Good for Foster Kids
    In many cultures, family support in times of need is a longstanding tradition. The United States foster care system includes the kinship care permanency option for youth in foster…
  • Foster children playing video games My Spouse Wants to Foster: Guide to a Shared Path
    Discovering that your spouse wants to foster a child can open a new chapter in your life together. Foster parenting is a path that invites both challenges and rewards. You'll hear…
  • Hands in a circle holding a little red heart What to Expect for the Foster Home Study: Ready, Set, Relax!
    Applicants must complete the foster care and adoption Home Study to become a foster parent in any state. What is the Home Study process? In short, it is a vital process that child…
  • Foster mom in park talking to a teenage girl Teen Pregnancy in the Foster Care System
    The rate of foster teen pregnancy in the child welfare system shows a grim statistic. Nearly 20% of foster youth report having their first consensual sex at or before the age of…
  • Family sitting on a couch with a therapist What to Look for in a Good Child Therapist
    CDC research studies show nearly 6 million children aged 3-17 years struggle with anxiety. 5.5 million kids in the same toddler-to-teen age range have behavior problems. Some…
  • Foster family sitting in the front room Top Traits and Qualities of a Good Foster Parent
    What is the model of a perfect foster or adoptive parent? No such perfect parent exists. Yet our perfectly imperfect foster parents make life-changing impacts on the lives of…
  • Foster parent and a child in park What is a Foster Care or Adoption Home Study?
    The United States foster care system is responsible for nearly 400,000 foster kids. Children in foster care need caring individuals to help them until they can return home to…
  • Foster mother sitting on a bench in a park What is a Child-Placing Agency, and Why Do I Need One?
    Almost 400,000 children in foster care rely on child-placing agencies for safe, stable, and nurturing foster homes. When a child enters the foster care system, state agencies are…
  • Foster mother and child in a park What Will Disqualify Me From Becoming a Foster Parent?
    Foster families are diverse and unique, with no one-size-fits-all definition. Child welfare agencies encourage foster parents of varied races, economic backgrounds, marital…