South Dakota Adoption and Foster Services
Strong families are South Dakota’s foundation and our future. They serve as the primary source of love, identity, self-esteem, and support in communities throughout the state and the country.
Foster parents make a difference in the lives of children and their birth families. Foster families are relatives or non-relatives who are trained and licensed, providing 24-hour care and supervision for children who have been abused and/or neglected.
Foster parenting promotes the healing process by offering a safe and stable environment until a child can return home or establish an alternative lifelong relationship with a caring adult through guardianship, adoption, or another permanent situation.
Foster families receive 30 hours of training and participate in-home consultations, resulting in the completion of a home study.
There are situations where the court places children outside of their homes and in the custody of the Department of Social Services. Some children are not able to return home because of their parents’ circumstances, and the court orders adoptive custody with the Department.
Sometimes, it can be challenging to match children with an adoptive family due to their individual needs, such as age, physical or emotional condition, mental disability, or as the result of being a part of a sibling group. The goal of adoption is to provide a child with a “forever family,” which could be a relative or non-related.
The Department must follow several laws when selecting an adoptive family for a child.
Services and information
- Kinship / Relative Care
- Non Related Kin (NRKIN)
- Traditional Foster Care
- Specialized / Therapeutic Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Adoption
Requirements to become a foster parent
Foster parents receive support from the South Dakota Department of Social Services. A local CPS office assists parents through the application process.
The organizations South Dakota Kids Belong and Stronger Families Together recruit, train, and support foster families. America’s Kids Belong aims to change the lives of foster children by raising awareness and improving experiences. They do so by pushing for change and encouraging community engagement.
South Dakota Kids Belong also connects parents with resources such as faith communities, foster-friendly businesses, etc. Plus, parents can access discounts and services for foster families through the program.
Tribal Foster Care Programs are also available to help protect the interests of Indian kids in the child welfare system.
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