Becoming A Foster Parent
Are You Ready To Become A Serenity Family?
Serenity families are dedicated to caring for children and providing a supportive environment to help children prepare for reunification or adoption when reunification isn’t possible. Serenity families are diverse, coming from all backgrounds, religions, ages, genders, financial statuses, and marital statuses.
Please note that Serenity is only able to consider families in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in California.
Steps To Becoming A Resource Family
Foster Parents
Yes, ready!
Thank you so much for your interest in becoming a resource/foster parent!
We are excited to hear from you and look forward to answering your questions. Please take a moment to fill out the information below, and someone will be in touch with you within a few days.
Talk with a Serenity representative to answer your initial questions. We will also complete a brief interview and ask you some basic questions about your household.
Your in-home prescreen provides you with the opportunity to ask further questions about becoming a resource parent. The in-home prescreen also includes an interview with your family and a Serenity social worker to determine if we are a good fit. It usually take about 1-2 hours.
Following your in-home orientation, you will receive an application packet with forms and instructions. Completing your application packet in a timely way helps you to become approved as a resource family more quickly. We are happy to assist you with any questions you might have about the packet.
Fourteen hours of resource parent training over the course of a few weeks is provided to prepare you as a resource family. Training includes a class for your biological children to learn more about becoming a foster sibling. All trainings are held at Serenity. We look forward to having you join us.
All new families are invited to attend one of Serenity’s foster parent support groups to help you get a better understanding of some of the joys and challenges of being a resource parent. At the meeting, you will also have the opportunity to meet and connect with other resource families.
The State of California requires that all resource families have a completed home study. The home study includes multiple meetings (3-5) with a Serenity adoption social worker. The home study is your opportunity to help us get to know your family better.
Congratulations you are an approved Serenity resource parent. You are now able to welcome children into your home.
Necessary Serenity Family Qualities
Serenity will work with you every step of the way to ensure a setting where the child can grow and thrive in safety. Our goals are to provide wonderful foster families and needed resources for our children, ongoing support and resources to our foster families, and assistance to the biological parents of the children in our care.
Dedication to caring for children.
Willingness to understand the emotions and behaviors of children in foster care.
- Commitment to ongoing training for specialized parenting strategies.
Sufficient income to support yourself and your family.
- Comfortable space in your home for a child/children.
- Live scan clearance (background check) for all adults residing in the home.
Support of the reunification process.
Please note that Serenity is only able to consider families in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in California.
Benefits & Takeaways
Learn More About What It Takes
Benefits of Foster Parenting
Provide care for a child in need
Assist a family in the process of reunification
Attend monthly support groups and network with other foster parents.
Monthly stipend and medical benefits to assist with the foster child’s expenses
Foster Parenting Options
This is a wonderful way to support resource families and foster children, and provide the time they may need to maintain a healthy family. By becoming an approved babysitter, you are available to resource parents on a regular basis to provide babysitting support
Respite Care is an opportunity for families to support each other in a time of need. This service is utilized to help maintain the placement and allows the child’s family to have time for either self-care or family emergencies. Being a respite care family is a wonderful way to support full-time foster families, help ensure secure placements for foster children, and connect with many children while maintaining a more flexible schedule. Respite care can be provided from a few hours up to two weeks.
As a resource parent you provide a child a safe place to live and heal while their family of origin accomplishes the goals outlined by the court. The primary goal of foster care is reunification with the child’s family of origin. Foster care serves as a bridge between brokenness and the restoration of the family unit. Some people provide foster care for a short time period, 3-6 months, while others provide care for up to a few years.
Foster to adopt parents are families who choose to foster children while waiting for the opportunity to adopt a child from the foster care system. Should reunification with a child’s family of origin not be an option, then the resource family is offered the possibility of adoption.
Comprehensive Services Offered to Our Families
- Initial and ongoing training
- Training for biological children of foster parents
- Assistance with arrangement of respite care for foster children as needed
- Facilitation of support group meetings
- Three to Four visitations a month by a Serenity social worker
- 24-hour/7 days emergency assistance
- Inclusion in formulation of child’s treatment plan and assistance in implementation
- Social/recreational family activities (agency picnics, holiday celebrations)
- Positive foster parent recognition
Resource Family Forms
Simply Click, Download & Fill-Out Today
Family Foster Care FAQ’s
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope the following Resource Family Foster Care FAQs will help you to make your decision about becoming a Resource/foster family. If you have questions that aren’t listed below, please feel free to contact our office.
Our children are placed in foster care as a result of abuse and/or traumatic life events. Their family is in a crisis and unable to care for them. We partner with Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties.
“Resource Family” is a new term for families that care for children who have been placed in foster care or adoption through the child welfare system. This term includes all foster parents, adoptive families, legal guardians, and relative/non-related extended family members.
Approval time varies depending on how efficiently families turn in their paperwork, attend trainings, and complete the home study process. Unpredictable variables may prolong the approval process. An estimated range of time is 3-5 months.
It is not necessary to own a home. Foster parents live in apartments, condominiums, mobile homes, and single family homes.
Any child under the age of 2 years can share a room with the resource parents. After age 2, all children must be provided their own or shared room with another child.
Two children can share a room. Exceptions can be made in order to keep siblings together. Children ages 5 or older, must share a room with a child of the same gender or gender identification.
There is no marital status requirement for resource parents.
Resource parents are required to be at least 21 years old. Though, exceptions will be reviewed in order to keep siblings together as long as the State required minimum age, 18, is met.
There is no restriction on becoming a resource parent and working full-time. Many people enjoy fostering while also continuing to work a full-time job. If resource parents work outside the home, then arranging a back-up babysitter who can assist you with transporting a child to visits and other appointments is required.
Pets can be a wonderful part of a family and a joyful part of childhood. Pets must be safe and child friendly.
A DUI within the last 10 years disqualifies you from fostering. After 10 years, a DUI is no longer a hindrance in becoming a foster parent.
Criminal record clearance depends on what shows in the Live Scan fingerprint record. Serenity cannot know what a record will show until the State and FBI send the results.
No, Serenity does not provide children to be adopted through private adoptions, but can provide private adoption home studies.
Every child and case is unique. The court aims to do what is in the best interest of the child, with family reunification being the primary goal. Serenity does not have control over a child’s adoptability.
- Live Scan fingerprinting: estimated $90 per person, required for anyone in the home 18 years and over
- Adult and Infant CPR and First Aid certification: Price varies per location, must be taken in person, not online
- If you have a pool, a Water Safety class is required: estimated cost of $30 per person
- Driver’s record from DMV: estimated cost of $5 per person
- Yes. Here.
Resources
Helpful Links For Parents & Children
First5California
FREE Kits for New Parents. Includes the Advice for New Parents DVD, Puppy and Friends touch-and-feel book, and much more. Kits are available in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.
American Academy of Pediatrics
FREE Information: Health and Safety Tips, Immunization Schedules, Media and Children, Disaster Preparedness and more.
Parent’s Place
Patents’ Place is committed to supporting and enhancing Family focused services in a parent driven atmosphere for families who have children with special needs, 0-22 years of age. Serving the San Gabriel and Pomona valleys.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
The National Child Traumatic Stress Newwork’s mission is to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States.
Sesame Street in Communities
Sesame Street has introduced a brand new character who is a foster child! They are now providing links, resources such as videos and printable activities and more about foster care and crisis on their workshop site!