How to Become a Foster Parent in Missouri

Foster family sitting on a couch

There are over 13,000 children in Missouri's foster care system (13,194, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), and the state desperately needs more licensed foster homes for them.

These children and teens rely on families to provide temporary, safe, and stable housing for them. However, there simply aren't enough homes.

If you want to learn how to become a foster parent in Missouri, you can start here. We've compiled a guide for interested applicants that answers questions, provides guidance, and more. Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to foster a child.

Quotes about foster care

How to Become a Foster Parent in Missouri

Foster mom and young child sitting on a park bench

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 Missouri can often seem unclear. FosterUSKids.org is your source for information and guidance, connecting you with a local Missouri 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 Missouri:

  1. Request Information About Fostering – 
    FosterUSKids puts the Missouri 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 Missouri, 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 a Missouri child-placing agency now.

Requirements to Foster in Missouri

Foster parents receive a maintenance payment to help cover some of the care costs of raising a child. The rate parents receive varies depending on the child's age and their special needs. Foster children also receive a clothing allowance, covering their medical needs.

The Missouri Department of Social Services website shows you the latest rates.

However, these maintenance payments aren't always enough. Everything from school supplies to toys can cut into that budget. Many businesses and organizations are stepping up to help cover the gaps and assist foster families.

Foster Together provides a walk-in shopping service for foster children free of charge. Kids can find new and like-new clothing, toys, car seats, and more.

Foster parents caring for younger children can look to Nurses for Newborns, which provides health assessments, screenings, education, and more support.

Another valuable resource is respite care, which gives foster parents a break when needed. Respite foster care is a temporary service offered by other trained foster families. It's also useful in the event of an emergency situation.

Foster FAQs for Missouri

Once approved, foster parents must complete several free training courses. These educational courses teach caregivers about important subjects such as informed consent, respite care, specialized parenting skills, etc. You'll also learn about topics such as cultural competence and trauma-informed care.

In Missouri, parents must complete 27 hours of pre-service training and become CPR and First Aid certified. Additionally, foster families must complete in-service training every two years.

Can I Choose the Gender and Age of the Children?

Parents have a say in which children are placed in their homes. They may specify certain preferences, such as an age group or gender they prefer.

The more flexible you are, the sooner you might receive a placement. Your agency will contact you when they find a child or sibling group they think may be a good match.

What Is Reunification?

The goal in most foster cases is the reunification of the child/children with their birth parents or primary caregiver. Being with family is often in a child's best interest. Therefore, most foster care situations are considered temporary placements.

If you're interested in fostering to adopt, let your agency know. Some kids do become eligible for adoption when they have parental rights terminated.

Are You Interested in Fostering?

We've covered most of the basics in this guide. However, you still likely have questions. To learn more about how to become a foster parent in Missouri, contact your local foster care agency.

Anyone can learn to become a foster parent if they're loving, supportive, and responsible. You don't have to be perfect to make a difference in a child's life.

Foster agencies in Missouri

Select My Foster Agency in Missouri

General Statistics About Foster Care

  • 13,194

    Children in Missouri foster care system in 2021

  • 2,677

    Kids awaiting adoption in Missouri

  • 7

    The average age of a child in Missouri foster care

  • 13

    Was the average time a child will stay in Missouri foster care in 2021

Missouri needs foster families now more than ever. Thousands of children and teens in the system need a home and a loving parent. These kids are going through traumatic times, but you can help.

Here are some of the latest statistics according to the state's AFCARS report:

  • There are 13,194 children in Missouri's foster care system
  • 6,819 entered the system in the 2021 fiscal year
  • The foster care system served 19,340 children and teens in 2021
  • 2,677 are awaiting adoption (as of September 30th of the FY)
  • 854 of those kids had parental rights terminated
  • The median age of foster youth is seven years old
  • 29% of children in care live in a non-relative foster home
  • The goal in 63% of cases is to reunite the child and their parents
  • The goal in 20% of cases is finding an adoptive family
  • Children spend a median time of 13.4 months in care
  • Seven years old is the median age of those awaiting adoption

Support Services for Foster Parents in Missouri

If you've decided to open your home to foster children, you'll have to get your license. State requirements vary, but these are some of the basic qualifications for parents in Missouri:

  • Parents have to be at least 21 years old
  • You're financially stable and have a reliable income
  • You're a documented U.S. citizen and Missouri resident
  • All household members are in good health
  • You're physically and mentally capable of caring for a child
  • Adults must pass a background check and fingerprinting
  • Parents must attend the free training sessions
  • You must complete the home assessment process
  • You have to pass a home inspection
  • Families must live in a safe and stable environment
  • You need reliable transportation and insurance

Foster parents can be single or married. They can also own their homes or rent if there's a bed and enough room for each foster child.

Missouri cannot discriminate based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion. Plus, you can foster whether you're childless or if you have kids in the home.

Foster parents must be willing to work as a team, including communicating with the social worker, birth parents, etc. Your job is to provide a temporary home, as the goal in most foster care cases is reunification.

If you meet the basic qualifications, you can start the initial application by contacting the Missouri Department of Social Services or an approved foster care agency. A professional advocate will contact you to discuss the process, what to expect, and review your preferences.

Potential foster parents will then receive an invitation to attend an informational meeting or orientation to learn more about the agency, the child welfare system, the kids in care, and much more.

NOW IS THE TIME TO BECOME A FOSTER PARENT IN Missouri

Every day in Missouri, children from all age groups enter foster care, some with no belongings of their own, all without an adult they can depend on. Every Missouri 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 Missouri.

Still undecided? A Missouri 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 a Missouri child today.

Select My Foster Agency

Find a foster or adoption agency near you using our state directory for Missouri. If you represent an agency and would like to claim your listing, please contact us.

Agency Locality Agency Type
Columbia
Adoption
Ozark
Adoption
St. Louis
Traditional Foster Care, Emergency Foster Care, Respite Foster Care, Adoption
Hazelwood
Traditional Foster Care, Specialized / Therapeutic Care, Emergency Foster Care, Respite Foster Care, Adoption
Kansas City
Adoption
Kansas City
Traditional Foster Care, Emergency Foster Care, Respite Foster Care, Adoption, Other
Brentwood
Traditional Foster Care, Emergency Foster Care, Respite Foster Care, Adoption, Other
University City
Traditional Foster Care, Emergency Foster Care, Respite Foster Care, Adoption, Other
Saint Louis
Traditional Foster Care, Emergency Foster Care, Respite Foster Care
St. Louis
Adoption, Other