Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families
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When children and youth cannot safely live with their own families, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) identifies an alternative family setting (often referred to as foster care) where they can be safe and thrive – sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently.
Foster parents are DCYF's primary resource for children who need to be placed outside of their homes. Often foster parents are relative caregivers (sometimes called “kinship caregivers”) who have a prior relationship with the child or youth in their care. Children and youth are sometimes placed with adults in Rhode Island who get a license to serve as foster parents.
The goal of foster care is to reunite children with their birth families whenever possible safely. When reunification is not possible, DCYF works with its partner agencies to match a child with an adoptive family. Many children who are adopted from foster care find their “forever families” in the homes of their foster parents.
We often refer to our foster and adoptive families as “resource families”.
rest in the children in our care.
Services and information
- Traditional Foster Care
- Specialized / Therapeutic Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Adoption
- Other
Requirements to become a foster parent
The Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) and the private agencies connected with it offer many resources. If you foster through a private agency, you'll receive support from them.
Foster families in Rhode Island qualify for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). This program subsidizes childcare costs for families caring for foster youth under age 13. Some resources are also available for kids with special needs after age 13 as well.
Contact your private foster care agency or DCYF caseworker to learn more about these options.
Parents that need a break from fostering due to an emergency or other reason can also access respite care. This type of care involves one foster family taking care of another licensed family's child for a brief period.
Resource families receive a foster care maintenance payment to help with a child's needs. The amount varies depending on the child's age and service level of care.
Finally, the DCYF or licensed private agency will help you through the process, provide training, offer assistance managing medical and dental services, etc.
Ratings and Reviews
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Sep 21, 2019
No comment
Jun 24, 2019
They used false accusations and took my infant daughter and toddler son, placed them in foster care, gave them back and now they're just going to take one of my kids. I've complied with services but since they get away with lying they get away with kidnapping and traumatizing my children. This is by far the worst department RI has to offer. Something has got to be done. How many more kids have to die because of you ?
Apr 23, 2019
Kidnappers
Apr 07, 2019
My question is how come they don't do drug test on there worker's I know a dcyf person who drinks like a fish and smokes pot who gives her the right to tell someone what to do as a tax payer I want to see them do drug test
Mar 24, 2019
This place is absolutely APPALLING and the way they work is DISGUSTING ! They need to replace every worker in this place and find new workers! They are destroying families and taking away children that do not need to be taken at all. I wouldn't even give them any stars !