How to Become a Foster Parent in Montana
Although there are advocates and programs to help Montana's foster youth, such as Reach Higher Montana and the Red Scarf Project, there are still many that don't get the care or attention they need.
Kids often end up in out-of-home care due to abuse or neglect, and they rely on foster families to provide safe and stable housing. They rely on people like you to become advocates and caregivers.
We compiled this guide on how to become a foster parent in Montana to protect children in need. Keep reading if you think this is a path you may want to follow, and you'll learn more about becoming a licensed foster parent.
Quotes about foster care
How to Become a Foster Parent in Montana
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 Montana can often seem unclear. FosterUSKids.org is your source for information and guidance, connecting you with a local Montana 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 Montana:
- Request Information About Fostering –
FosterUSKids puts the Montana foster care and adoption agencies at your fingertips. - 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.
- 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.
- Attend Pre-Service Training –
Around 30 hours of formal parent training cover essential topics from what to expect to trauma-informed foster care.
- 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.
- 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 Montana, 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 Montana child-placing agency now.
Requirements to Foster in Montana
Adults interested in fostering and adoption can find support from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). The official state website answers commonly asked questions, provides information and resources for families, has information about tax credits and support groups, and more.
The Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) or your local child-placing agency should be one of your first points of contact if you need assistance.
Many online resources are entirely free to parents, such as blog articles. Support groups also exist to help you through the process by providing educational materials or connecting advocates. Foster parents can attend events as well, such as the Child Abuse and Neglect Conference.
Your local foster care agency is always there for you, so don't be afraid to ask questions or raise concerns. You're part of a team as a foster parent, and you can rely on the other team members, such as the case manager or birth parents.
Foster FAQs for Montana
You can foster a child even if you don't have parenting experience. All you need is to be willing to put in the time and effort to attend all training and learn what it means to be a foster caregiver.
You can start with these frequently asked questions.
What Children Have the Greatest Needs?
There's a strong demand for parents capable of supporting teens and children with medical or developmental needs. Also, plenty of teenagers and sibling groups are waiting for a home.
Many foster care myths prevent families from working with these children when they just need loving homes too.
What Does a Foster Family Do?
A foster parent's role is to provide temporary, safe, and stable housing for children and teens in the Montana foster care system. These kids need housing while their parents learn new skills and address safety issues.
Most foster cases conclude with reunification. However, some children do become eligible for adoption.
A foster family supports these children and ensures their well-being while working with the caseworker, birth parents, Guardian Ad Litem, Court Appointed Special Advocate, and others.
How Long Do Children Remain in Care?
The median time spent in foster care in Montana is 15.8 months. However, how long the child remains in care depends on their case and whether they can safely return to their birth parents or primary caregiver.
When reuniting them is not in a child's best interest, they may become eligible for adoption.
Learn More About Montana Foster Parenting
These are the basics you need to know on how to become a foster parent in Montana. Of course, there's much more to cover. Contact your local foster care agency to learn about the process and requirements.
Our goal is to find housing for the many foster children in our country. You can make a difference by opening your home to a child in need of you.
Foster agencies in Montana
General Foster FAQs
General Statistics About Foster Care
3,083
Children in Montana foster care in 2021
680
Kids were up for adoption in Montana
12%
Of foster kids spend 3-4 years in Montana foster care
6
Is the average age for a child in Montana's foster care in 2021
So many foster youths don't have a place where they feel truly loved and accepted. For those waiting for adoption, it can be even harder. In Montana, MTN News covers the "A Waiting Child" program, which allows these kids to tell their stories and hopefully find forever homes.
You can be a foster or adoptive parent for kids like these.
In Montana and across the United States, there's a desperate need for more licensed foster homes. Here are some of the latest foster care data for the state:
- There were 3,083 foster children in care in 2021
- 680 kids were up for adoption as of September 30th of the FY
- 465 had parental rights terminated
- The median age of those in the system is six years old
- 33% of foster youth live with a licensed foster family (non-relative)
- 6% live in a group home
- 74% of case plan goals are to reunite kids and their parents
- 18% of cases plan for adoption and a forever home
- Foster children spend a median time of 15.8 months in care
- 19% spend between 1-5 months in care
- 12% remain in foster care for 3-4 years
Support Services for Foster Parents in Montana
To obtain full licensure, prospective foster parents must undergo training, complete background checks, pass a home inspection, and complete the home study process. It might seem overwhelming initially, but you'll go through it one step at a time.
You should start by speaking to the Montana Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) or a licensed child-placing agency. An advocate will give you more information and review some of the basics.
If you want to start a foster family, you should know that each state has specific requirements to meet first. In Montana, they include the following:
- Parents must be 18 years old or older
- Have sufficient income without relying on reimbursement
- A safe and stable living environment
- A house that passes all safety requirements
- Parents are physically and mentally capable of caring for a child
- All adults pass the state and federal background checks
- Parents attend an orientation
- Complete the required foster parent training
- Provide character references
- Finish the home study
Applicants are free from discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. Additionally, parents may own or rent a home and still foster if the house provides enough space for a child.
You don't have to be a stay-at-home parent to foster, either. Couples may work outside the house if they have the time and energy to care for a child.
Caregivers must be responsible, mature, and stable adults that can use sound judgment. And although experience parenting will help, it isn't a requirement. New parents can learn much of what they need in their training classes.
A licensed foster parent must complete this training. Remember that ongoing education is part of the process, and you should have the time to dedicate to it.
NOW IS THE TIME TO BECOME A FOSTER PARENT IN Montana
Every day in Montana, children from all age groups enter foster care, some with no belongings of their own, all without an adult they can depend on. Every Montana 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 Montana.
Still undecided? A Montana 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 Montana child today.
Select My Foster Agency