Foster Care Kansas

Can I be a foster parent? YES!

By meeting the following requirements and making the decision to open up
your heart and your home, you can bring hope to a child that needs you.

• Be 21 years of age or older
• Take 30 hours of pre-service training
• Pass criminal and child welfare clearance checks
• Have a source of income other than foster care reimbursement
• Own or rent a residence that meets all state requirements
• Be willing to work as part of a professional team

Foster Care Myth: I can’t foster because I have no parenting experience or my children are grown and out of the house.

FALSE! There is no age requirement other than being 21 years old. Foster parents are responsible who have made a commitment to all children. Many “empty nesters” find fostering a rewarding experience.

Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent

Becoming a foster parent with Saint Francis Ministries involves several steps requiring varying amounts of time, paperwork, and face-to-face meetings. Each step builds on the previous steps.

The process provides information, training, and skill development for prospective foster parents, helps potential foster parents gain a better understanding of the needs of children in foster care, helps families make informed decisions about fostering, and provides information on resources, parenting techniques, and support services available for individuals interested in becoming foster parents.

Once you contact us to explore the possibility of becoming a foster parent, these are some of the steps that we will assist you with. This entire process typically takes about six months.

Step 1: Inquiry
When you first contact our office, a Foster Care Homes Staff will answer your questions about being a foster parent. If you’re interested in taking the next step, we will ask some demographic questions, or perhaps you have filled that out on the online form. We then will assign you to a Foster Care Recruiter in our area.

Step 2: Connect with a Foster Care Recruiter
You will be assigned to a Foster Care Recruiter, they will reach out to complete a foster care referral, answer questions and see if you are ready to enroll in pre -service training. In some cases, a Foster Care recruiter will come to your home and meet with you individually to answer your questions and do a complimentary pre-tour of your home to make sure there are no barriers in meeting the State’s regulations.

Step 3: Pre-service training
The State of Kansas requires you to complete TIPS-MAPP training. This is a ten-week course, 3 hours each week. These sessions are designed to help you make a final decision about becoming a foster parent. In the sessions, we discuss what foster parenting is all about-what it takes, what to expect, the obligations, challenges, and rewards. There is a DT training that meets for 3 1/2 hours for 7 weeks for those that have an unusual work schedule where the 10- week class is not an option. There are also other pre-service trainings, some of which can be completed in our Family Matters Website (your Licensing specialist will get you enrolled in our family portal website).

Step 4: Family Assessment and Licensing paperwork
This step is usually started during the TIPS-MAPP class. One of our Licensing specialists that specialize in family assessments will visit your home to interview you and any other family members and residents in your home. The interviews are an opportunity for us to:

• Gather background information about you and your family.
• Understand your motivations to become a foster parent.
• Ensure that foster parenting is a fit for you.
• Ensure that you will be able to provide a safe and nurturing home environment.
• Make sure your home has enough space to accommodate additional youth.
• Complete criminal background checks on everyone living in your home.
• Interview references provided by you.
• Gather licensing paperwork completed by you and submit to Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF)

Step 6: Licensing
Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF) reviews your application and determines to license you as a foster parent.

Step 7: Child placement
Once you have the appropriate license, you will be able to provide a youth in foster care with a safe and loving home.

Download the Steps to becoming a Foster Parent

SFM Families On-line Community

SFM Families is an on-line community for our valued foster and kinship families. Visit the SFM Families page to get started.

Prospective and current foster parents, adoptive parents, and kinship families can use this page to find upcoming trainings, resources in their community, and support with other families: Connecting Caregivers FB Page