Becoming a foster parent should be a well thought out decision involving everyone in your family.  To become a foster parent you must:

Have respect for and interest in caring for children and families.

Be 21 years of age or older.

Own or rent your own house or apartment.

Be either single or married.

Be in good physical and mental health.

Be able to meet your family's financial obligations.

Submit to a housing inspection.

Pass a criminal background check.

Meet pre-service training requirements.

Have a stable family relationship.

The Treatment Foster Care Program serves children who are seriously emotionally disturbed, developmentally disabled, or medically fragile. This program provides children with intensive therapeutic services within a family environment. TREATMENT FOSTER PARENTS with medical, counseling, and/or teaching experience are urgently needed. The Program provides a monthly stipend, room and board payment, medical and mental health coverage for the child, respite care services, and intensive case management services.

Some foster children are not yet legally free to be adopted, but the agency is taking steps to achieve this. In an effort to protect the child from moving many times, the agency will place the child in a foster family that intends to adopt him or her if and when the court allows. The child benefits by having maximum stability of placement while the court makes a permanent decision. The majority of adoptions through Montgomery County Child Welfare Services are accomplished through the dual license program.

A home study is a joint effort by you and your social worker to prepare your family to be an approved foster family. Just as you would want to be very familiar with a family before leaving your own child with them for an extended period, so too does the Department want to be very familiar with you and your family before making a placement. Your home study worker will also assist you in defining what types of children you feel you could most successfully parent.

We are happy to answer any questions you might have.  Please call us at 240-777-1664.

When you are ready to become a foster parent in Montgomery County please attend one of our information meetings.  

For more information please call Erin Stillwell or Shelly Chaitow, Foster Parent Recruiters
240-777-1664