How to Become a Foster Parent in Idaho

Quotes about foster care

How to Become a Foster Parent in Idaho

Close to 400,000 children are in the U.S. foster care system, and the numbers are on the rise. Yet, the path to becoming a foster parent in Idaho can often seem unclear. FosterUSKids.org is your source for information and guidance, connecting you with a local Idaho agency to simplify becoming a foster parent.

HOW TO FOSTER: A SIX-STEP GLANCE

There are six steps to complete before you can bring a child into your home as a licensed foster parent in Idaho:

1. Request Information About Fostering – 
   FosterUSKids puts the Idaho foster care and adoption agencies at your fingertips.
2. Attend an Orientation Meeting for Foster Parenting –
   Learn more about the foster parent journey: how to become a foster parent, the characteristics of kids in foster care, and state foster care rules and regulations.
    
3. Submit a Foster Parent Application –
   Your agency’s social workers will help you with the required documentation, background checks, personal references, and state-specific criteria.
    
4. Attend Pre-Service Training –
   Around 30 hours of formal parent training cover essential topics from what to expect to trauma-informed foster care.
    
5. Complete an Assessment and Home Study –
   This vital process includes a home visit and interviews with social workers to ensure you are a good fit and ready to be matched with a foster child.
    
6. Receive Your Foster License –
   The typical 3 to 6-month process results in getting your foster family license and then welcoming a foster child into your home!

Parenting is a rewarding journey marked by commitment and growth. For foster children in Idaho, the search is not for a perfect parent but someone they can count on for love, care, and a stable home – a foundation that will make a life-altering difference.

We at FosterUSKids are grateful you are on the path to learning more. For detailed guidance through every step, contact an Idaho child-placing agency now.

Requirements to Foster in Idaho

There is plenty of support available to resource families. Foster parents work as part of a team that includes the birth parents, social workers, school staff, a court-appointed advocate/guardian ad litem, and other professionals.

Your foster care agency is there for you every step of the way. They answer questions, provide training, offer resources and referrals, and help you address any obstacles or concerns.

Since you work as part of a professional team, the birth parents can also be a valuable resource. Working with them is in the best interest of the child, and it can make your job easier too. You can learn about foods or hobbies that the child likes, study methods that work, and so on.

Check your area for local support groups as well. They advocate for foster youth and can guide you on your journey.

Foster FAQs for Idaho

Aspiring foster parents should ask as many questions as possible about the process to ensure they're ready and that this is the right journey for them. Here are a few common questions that you might also have.

What if I Become Attached to the Foster Child?

Foster care is temporary. In most cases, the best outcome for the child is to reunite with their birth parents or primary caregivers. Sometimes, kids may end up with other relatives.

Try to remember that being with family is usually in a child's best interest. That said, it can be hard to say goodbye. Many foster parents attend grief counseling to help.

Who Are the Children in Foster Care?

Kids enter foster care for various reasons, and it's not their fault. They may be there because of abuse or neglect or the death of a parent.

These are children between the ages of 0-20 that have been displaced and need a temporary home while the court works with their parents. Some foster youth may have special needs.

Many kids arrive with siblings or are in the foster care system through their teenage years. Every single one needs a loving, structured environment.

Do I Need Parenting Experience?

Parenting experience is useful, but it isn't required.

Childless individuals can foster. Parents with biological children can foster too.

Become Someone Special to a Foster Child

These are the basic requirements and some of the latest information for those who want to learn how to become a foster parent in Idaho. Contact your local foster care agency to learn more.

You can become someone special to a foster child in need.

Foster agencies in Idaho

Select My Foster Agency in Idaho

General Foster FAQs

General Statistics About Foster Care

• 1601

  Children in Idaho foster care in 2021

• 6

  Average age of a child in foster care in Idaho

• 320

  Idaho has waiting to be adopted in 2021

• 1346

  Idaho children entered foster care in 2021

Although advocates and organizations are doing the best they can to ensure foster kids thrive, it's also up to people like you to create change. If you want to become a parent and start raising foster children, the first step is to educate yourself.

These are some of the latest key statistics on Idaho's foster care situation:

• There are approximately 1,601 foster kids in Idaho
• 1,346 entered foster care in 2021
• 320 are waiting for adoption (as of September 30th, 2021)
• 160 of those kids had all parental rights terminated
• 38% of foster youth in the state live in a non-relative foster home
• The median age of foster children in Idaho is seven years old
• The goal for 55% of children is to reunite them with their parents or primary caregiver
• 15% of case plan goals include adoption
• The median age of entry is six years old
• 69% of kids in foster care are there due to neglect

What are some ways you can make a difference?

As a foster parent, taking a trauma-informed approach to care is critical, as most kids have experienced trauma. You'll learn more about this in your parent training.

Trauma-informed care ensures the child's well-being by considering what they've gone through. Many develop PTSD, anxiety, or depression. You'll learn to adjust your parenting style accordingly to help them and be the best caregiver possible.

By completing the licensing process, you become available to the many foster kids in Idaho with no home to call their own.

Support Services for Foster Parents in Idaho

Idaho's goal is to recruit responsible adults capable of meeting the diverse needs of the many children in foster care. There is a particularly strong demand for those willing to help keep siblings together, work with special needs children, and foster older kids and teens.

If you have a strong desire to help, what do you need to do?

Foster parent requirements in Idaho include the following:

• You must be 21 years of age or older
• Have sufficient income to care for a family
• Pass a background check and provide fingerprints
• Finish the required training for foster parents
• Attend a foster parent orientation
• Complete the home study process
• Have enough room in your home for a foster child
• Be capable of providing care and maintaining a safe environment
• Prove you're physically healthy enough to foster (get a physical exam)

Some agencies may have different requirements, so be sure to talk to them about any eligibility criteria.

Individuals of any marital status, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity can foster.

Once you've made the decision and learned about the requirements, you can contact your local Department of Human Services office or a partner agency to learn more. You'll attend an informational orientation where you're encouraged to ask questions.

There's also pre-service training to attend that will teach you more about how to become a caregiver. You'll then start the home study process, which involves several interviews, a home inspection, etc.

NOW IS THE TIME TO BECOME A FOSTER PARENT IN Idaho

Every day in Idaho, children from all age groups enter foster care, some with no belongings of their own, all without an adult they can depend on. Every Idaho kid needs a soft place to land and a place to call home. Whether you can offer temporary care or become a forever family, your interest could mean a brighter, more secure future for a child in Idaho.

Still undecided? An Idaho child-placing agency is here to guide you, providing answers about stipends, coaching, therapy resources, and foster parent training.

Take the next step: Begin your parenting journey by fostering an Idaho child today.