How to Become a Foster Parent in West Virginia

Quotes about foster care

How to Become a Foster Parent in West Virginia

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

1. Request Information About Fostering – 
   FosterUSKids puts the West 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 West 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. Contact a West Virginia child-placing agency for detailed guidance through every step.

Requirements to Foster in West Virginia

When you want to apply to become a foster parent, your first step should be contacting the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources or a private foster agency. An advocate will reach out to you and answer any questions you have. Your foster agency is one of your best sources of support.

West Virginia HealthCheck is an Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment program available to kids in foster care. Through the program, foster children receive a variety of care options, including appointments for primary health and preventative services. Kids also receive dental screenings, immunizations, behavioral and developmental assessments, etc.

Foster parents may receive a subsidy for each foster child in their care as well as clothing allowances and vouchers. Talk to your foster agency to learn more about monthly foster care payments, as these vary depending on the age and needs of the child.

Check your region for foster parent support groups as well. These groups provide excellent opportunities to meet other foster families and receive help.

Foster FAQs for West Virginia

Fostering might sound complex initially, but you'll always have someone to contact if you have questions. We've also put together some frequently asked questions that should help you understand the process more.

Who Can Foster in West Virginia?

Adults age 21 or older can foster. However, you can't be older than 65 unless you have a waiver. Foster parents have to be United States citizens and West Virginia residents.

Caseworkers ensure that all foster parents have the characteristics necessary to foster. For instance, you must be mature, patient, flexible, and responsible.

No one can foster if they have been convicted of child abuse. All adults have to pass a background check before they can foster.

How Healthy Do I Have to Be?

Household members need to be in good health to foster. You must be free of disease and illness. If you have a disability, it can't interfere with your ability to care for a child.

Potential foster parents must undergo a physical examination and be up-to-date with all immunizations. Additionally, parents must demonstrate that they're mentally healthy as well.

What Is PRIDE Training?

It stands for Parent Resources for Information Development and Education. If you want to become a foster parent, you must first become PRIDE certified.

Foster parent training teaches adults how to become proper caregivers for foster youth.

There is pre-service training and in-service training, which occurs after placement. You can find training schedules online through your foster agency.

Foster parents will receive an annual review to ensure they're following PRIDE standards.

What Is the Home Study?

The home study is the process in which the DHHR or a licensed agency inspects your home to ensure it meets safety standards. It's also the period when you and your family are interviewed.

During the application and home study process, you'll have to submit paperwork, review your medical reports and financial statements, and undergo a background check.

Are You Interested in Raising Foster Children in West Virginia?

These are the basics of becoming a foster parent in West Virginia. However, there's still much left to cover. Contact your local foster care agency to discover more about the process and how to apply.

If you want to help the many foster children in our country, there's no better time than now. We provide potential foster parents with the information they need to get started on that journey. 

Foster agencies in West Virginia

Select My Foster Agency in West Virginia

General Foster FAQs

General Statistics About Foster Care

• 7,152

  Kids in West Virginia's foster care system in 2021

• 2,454

  West Virginia's children awaiting adoption

• 10

  Average age of child in care in West Virginia

• 7

  The average age of a child up for adoption in West Virginia

How bad is the foster care situation in West Virginia? We already discussed the need for parents willing to take older children, but there's much more to the story.

Here are some of the latest statistics for West Virginia's foster care system:

• There are 7,152 children in West Virginia's foster care
• 4,710 entered the system in 2021
• 2,454 were awaiting adoption on September 30th, 2021
• 1,774 of those kids had parental rights terminated
• The median age of foster youth in West Virginia is eight years old
• A combined 46% of kids in foster care are between 9-17 years old
• 29% of foster children and teens live in a non-relative foster home
• 57% of case plan goals are to reconnect the child and their parents
• 31% of cases plan to find an adoptive home for the child
• Kids spend a median time of 10.2 months in care
• 28% are in foster care for 1-5 months
• The median age of children up for adoption is seven years old

Support Services for Foster Parents in West Virginia

Becoming a foster parent means you'll need to get your foster license. The licensure process involves orientation, training, paperwork, background checks, interviews, etc. It can take several months to complete, though you can expedite the process by staying on top of everything you need to do.

Anyone interested in fostering in West Virginia must meet these qualifications:

• You're 21 years old or older
• You live in a safe and comfortable environment
• Your house, condo, or apartment meets safety requirements
• You're financially stable and can provide for a child
• There's space in the home for a bed and a child's belongings
• You have time and energy to care for a child
• All adults undergo and pass a background check
• You can provide three character references
• Parents complete the foster parent training
• Successfully finish the home study process

Parents can work inside or outside the home. However, they must have enough time to see to a child's needs and spend time with them.

Part of a foster parent's responsibilities includes transporting them to appointments, school, and visitations. So, you'll need reliable transportation as well.

Applicants can be single, married, or divorced, and LGBTQ+ individuals are also welcome to apply. If you're in a relationship, the relationship must be a stable one.

All household members must be in good health. You'll need to get a physical to prove that you're physically and mentally capable of caring for a child.

NOW IS THE TIME TO BECOME A FOSTER PARENT IN West Virginia

Every day in West 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 West 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 West Virginia.

Still undecided? An West 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 an West Virginia child today.