Are you a kinship provider looking to transition to foster care?
Kinship care is an incredible sacrifice of love for a child. Being placed with someone they know is a gift. But, it can also be very challenging. From the practical needs of a placement to legal questions and big emotions, kinship providers need support. Focus is here to support you! Becoming a licensed foster parent helps connect you with all of our resources, for both you and your child, and a community of foster parents who can walk alongside you.
Once licensed, Focus on Youth provides:
- 24-hour support from our licensed social workers
- Excellent foster parent support through our ongoing training program and Foster Parent Advisory Board
- Trauma Competent Caregiving Training
- Comprehensive behavioral health services
- Stipends to assist in the care of each youth
- A family-friendly environment
General Requirements:
- Ohio resident and at least 18 years old
- Sufficient income to meet household needs
- Successful completion of criminal history check, fingerprinting, background check, and driving record for all household members
If you would like more information on the recent changes regarding kinship care in Ohio, click here.
Roadmap
Contact us to inquire about becoming a licensed as a foster parent: We recognize this is a big decision for you and your family and will spend as much time discussing the differences between kinship care and foster care with you as you want.
Information Packet or Meeting: If you want to proceed, an informational packet is emailed to you within 48 hours. You could also request an information meeting with a member of our licensing staff. To request a meeting, contact us.
Pre-Placement Training: Ohio requires foster parents receive 36 hours of training before becoming a licensed foster parent. Waivers are available for kinship providers. Register for Pre-placement Training.
Submit application: During Pre-Placement Training, you will decide if foster parenting is right for you and your family. If the answer is yes, you will submit an application. Applications must be filled out completely (with no blanks) in order to be accepted.
Family Assessor Assigned: After your application is accepted, a family assessor is assigned and your homestudy will begin. This takes 3 to 6 months to complete. Timing depends largely on how quickly you complete each step of the required process.
License: After the homestudy is completed, the paperwork is submitted to the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services for licensing. When approved for placement, you will be placed on our available families list as ready to accept placement of a child.
Attend Rules and Policies Training: Caregivers must complete a Rules and Policies training prior to receiving a placement. The class can be taken prior to licensure, but it will not count towards your continuing training credit.
Continuing Training: Continuing Training is required to maintain your foster care license. A training plan will be prepared to help you select trainings that will increase your foster parenting skills.
“We fell into kinship foster care when a child crossed my path in my daycare. Then, we jumped into kinship again with 4 kids when a friend of 17 years turned to drugs. Though being a kinship care provider has been an amazing experience with both Hamilton and Warren counties, we could not have made it one day without the support of Focus on Youth. The Focus staff has been a text/call away since day 1. We’ve had support with all the children’s needs and been given every opportunity through the program to make a smooth transition. Eye-opening and sometimes hard, kinship foster parenting set us on the path to becoming foster-to-adopt parents, and we are now adopting our first kinship child!”
“Kinship lines are thin. You can be connected to the child as family, friend, or, in our case, caregiver. No matter how you’re connected, the love you have for the kids is unconditional and grows exponentially. If a child you know ever needs a safe home, please consider saying yes. Focus will support you and so will we.” – Raquel & Randy
Focus on Youth complies with the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA).
For more information or to talk with one of our staff about becoming a licensed foster parent, please call (513) 644-1030 or Contact Us through our website.
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