Maryland Department of Human Services
There are many Maryland children waiting to be part of a family. Some of the children have special educational, emotional, or medical needs; this information is confidential and does not appear in the children's descriptions. More detailed information about the children can be shared with adoptive parents as they are completing the adoption preparation process.
Foster Care is a temporary Service that provides short-term care and supportive services to children who are unable to live at home because of child abuse or neglect. Foster children live in family foster homes and group care settings.
All Maryland counties and Baltimore City operate foster care programs. Foster care caseworkers work with the birth and foster families to develop the most appropriate permanency plan for each child. Reunification with parents, placement with relatives, or adoption are examples of permanency plans. If for some reason a child cannot reunite with their family, the child, depending on their age, receive services that teach them to be independent young adults.
Services and information
- Traditional Foster Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Adoption
Requirements to become a foster parent
Understanding the licensing requirements is the first step, as they vary by state. In Maryland, potential foster parents must meet the following criteria:
- 21 years of age or older
- Live in a safe home, either a house or an apartment
- Undergo a criminal background check and fingerprinting
- Remain financially stable
- Able to support a child financially
- Undergo a medical examination
- Attend a medical reexamination every two years
- Provide three references
- Attend necessary parent training/education courses
- A minimum of two home visits by an approval worker
- Child support clearance
- No use of physical punishment allowed
- Receive a fire inspection and health clearance from local departments
The foster care agency you work with will help you to meet these qualifications. They answer your questions, provide parent education training, conduct home visits, and more. As such, they'll be your first point of contact as you prepare for your first placement.
Remember that it will take time to go through the approval process. The home study takes the longest, consisting of lots of paperwork, interviews, inspections, etc. However, you'll be a licensed foster parent in Maryland when it's over.
Ratings and Reviews
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Oct 15, 2020
They deserve no stars. What a joke I've called 12 times and each time get the run around after waiting on hold for 4 plus hours and then being hung up on. No way can they be that busy, just being lazy not wanting to do their job. They need to fire the whole staff and hire people that actually want to work and resolve people's problems. It's beyond frustrating
Oct 15, 2020
Still no answer been trying to call them since yesterday. Yesterday my phone died because i was on hold the whole time. Today morning i called early in the morning and wasnt during their supposedly peak time and still didnt receive an answer. Dont even try to call its no use
Oct 14, 2020
On hold for 1 hour and 20 min. I finally hung up. My redetermination papers were suppose to be returned by 10/08/2020. Its kind of hard to do when you dont receive them until 10/13/2020. No ones calling me back either.
Oct 14, 2020
Can someone please answer the phone ..
Oct 06, 2020
The workers phone is filled up .they donot answer their calls you cannot leave a message it's been 3 days now