How to become a foster parent in Virginia

Foster father helping a child do homework
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Discouraging facts: Foster children who spend even one night in congregate care have a 91% chance of leaving foster care without a family. Over 5,000 kids are in Virginia's child welfare system, far more than there are licensed foster families to help them.

Kinship care from a family member is the first option that child welfare agencies explore when a child enters foster care. In its absence, in-home foster care is the next best option. As a foster parent, you can change the lives of Virginia youth in foster care. When families provide short-term or long-term care for children in their homes, the outlook and outcomes for foster kids become brighter.

When parents open their homes for children in foster care, it means these kids will grow up with a family. Kids who cannot safely stay with their biological families have much to overcome in life. Growing up or spending any time in a group home environment puts them at even greater risk.

Doug and Sarah Miller from Fredericksburg are excellent examples of foster parents. The couple has stepped up time and again to care for Virginia's foster children. They have adopted six kids into their family.

Fostering provides parents with a unique opportunity to help children thrive. Some consider fostering a calling, while others simply want to do what they can to help kids in need. More foster families mean better futures for foster youth in the United States and in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As you think about becoming a foster parent, Virginia agency resources will guide you every step of the way.

Quotes about foster care

How to Become a Foster Parent in Virginia

Foster family of five sitting on a couch

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

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

Requirements to Foster in Virginia

Each state has requirements foster parents must meet. In Virginia, licensed foster parents must:

  • Be 18 years old or older
  • Attend a one-time foster parent orientation
  • Finish pre-service foster care training
  • Complete three face-to-face interviews
  • Clear a Home Study
  • Pass a criminal background check (criminal record, child abuse/neglect history, DMV)
  • Provide a doctor's report showing physical and mental capability of parenting
  • Verify a stable income
  • Have a safe and healthy living environment
  • Submit three personal references

Additional rules apply for foster housing in Virginia. Considerations include providing a separate bed for each foster child, as well as storing hazardous materials out of reach.

Foster families must pass a home inspection before fostering Virginia children. Foster homes must meet all safety guidelines, including having working smoke detectors and functioning bathroom facilities. Your foster care placement agency will tell you more about the process. After the home inspection, they will provide details of any necessary changes.

Foster FAQs for Virginia

Foster parents learn about the licensing and approval process during foster parent orientation and training. Here are a few of the most common questions from new foster families in Virginia.

Can I Foster a Child if I am Single?

Yes. Foster parents in Virginia are welcome whether they are married, single, divorced, or widowed.

The Commonwealth of Virginia does not discriminate, including based on religion, culture, race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Adults who have the time and energy to care for a child can apply to become licensed foster parents in Virginia.

Can I Be a Foster Parent if I Work?

Yes. Foster parents can work outside the home or remotely. Stay-at-home parents may also become foster parents as long as they have a steady income. Your local DSS may provide financial support for child care while you are at work.

How Long Would a Foster Child Live with Me?

Most foster care is short-term and temporary. However, every child's situation and needs are unique.

Exact circumstances determine how long a child remains in your care. These take into account the foster child's case plan, as well as the foster provider's needs. Some foster kids stay in a home for a few weeks, and others for well over a year.

Will I Have Foster Care Support?

Your child-placing agency will support you through the approval and foster placement process. Your child's caseworker and other professionals become your team, ensuring both you and your foster child have needed support. You will also have access to ongoing foster parent training, as well as financial assistance for child care. Your local child-placing agency will walk you through the support resources available to you.

Foster agencies in Virginia

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General Statistics About Foster Care

  • 4.977

    Kids in Virginia's foster care system

  • 1,899

    Virginia foster kids awaiting adoption

  • 12

    Median age of a child in Virginia's foster care system

  • 14%

    The percentage of Virginia foster children who spend 3 to 4 years in the foster system

The latest 2021 report on foster care statistics and outcomes is in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) report. The Virginia report says there are:

  • 4,977 children in Virginia's foster care system
  • 2,335 children who entered the foster care system
  • 1,899 children awaiting adoption
  • 1,289 kids up for adoption with parental rights terminated
  • 14% of foster kids who spend 3-4 years in care

Foster kids in Virginia span across ethnicities and ages, with a median age of twelve years old. Foster kids spend a medium of just over 18 months in foster care. Only 33% of foster child case plan goals include reunification, to reunite with their birth parents or primary caregivers. 37% of case plan goals include adoption.

A shortfall of licensed foster families exists to care for the 5,000 kids in Virginia's foster care system. If not adopted, many teens will age out of foster care without a safety net. These kids often find themselves without basic support, such as health care.

Foster kids who leave foster care without a family are more likely to experience continued trauma. They have higher incidences of homelessness and physical abuse. For those who wind up living on the streets, their odds also increase for mental health issues, substance abuse, and sexual abuse, as well.

Support Services for Foster Parents in Virginia

Your first sources for information are local child-placing agencies or the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS).

Another excellent resource is Extra Special Parents (ESP), a licensed child-placing agency that started FosterVA.org. Their purpose is to help Virginia's foster kids find foster parents and homes where they can thrive.

FosterVA is a licensed Virginia Child Placing Agency (CPA). Their team of foster specialists has the knowledge and experience to guide new foster parents on their fostering journey. They seek to understand the goals of their prospective foster families and ensure their foster children are the best fit. They also assist aspiring foster parents with training, support, and foster orientation.

FosterVA's data reveals the number of children who need care and highlights the lack of licensed foster families in the state. Their foster care social workers are always available to answer questions. Their blog educates foster parents on a wide range of fostering topics pertinent to Virginia families and kids.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is another resource for information geared to foster and adoptive families. Foster children have a specialized caseworker connected to VDSS. Their goal is to provide support and ensure each foster child is adjusting while in foster care.

The National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) is an excellent resource for new foster parents. The NFPA's goal is to provide support and information to its members. They offer tiers of membership options as well.

Virginia also has a large number of local foster parent support groups. Existing foster families are happy to answer questions or connect within the foster family community. Adding other foster parents to your support network is an excellent way to ease the foster parenting pathway.

Now is the Time to Become a Foster Parent in Virginia

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

Still undecided? A Virginia 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 Virginia child today.

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