WAIT NO MORE: FINDING FAMILIES FOR COLORADO’S WAITING KIDS
Foster Care/Adoption Process

Qualifications
You could make a wonderful foster or adoptive parent to a waiting child if you...

*Are at least 21 years old
*Are single, married, divorced or widowed
*Own or rent your home
*Have adequate financial resources to maintain the home
*Can provide for the child’s physical, mental, and character development

The Process
People just like you provide foster care or adopt children every day. If you work with Colorado’s public child welfare system, you'll find that becoming a foster or adoptive parent is a straightforward process. Once you successfully complete these steps, you may be certified to foster a child.

Step 1: Attend the foster care/adoption program orientation
Step 2: Complete and submit an application
Step 3: Attend parent training classes sponsored by the county departments, private child placement agency, or the State of Colorado
Step 4: Participate in a comprehensive foster family assessment

The steps are detailed below..

Step 1: Orientation
You will attend an orientation about fostering at the county department or private child placement agency where you choose to pursue the family certification.  Along with other prospective foster and adoptive parents, you'll learn:

• What foster care and adoption means and your roles and responsibilities as a parent
• About the children who are placed in out-of-home care (their backgrounds and ages)
• What the certification process involves, such as the application form, the required training classes and the family assessment
• How the child’s caseworker and the foster care resource caseworkers will work with and support you and your family
• The legal procedures and assistance and resources available to foster and adoptive parents
• About permanency, concurrent planning, and situations where children may be placed in the foster home for foster care and later becomes legally free for adoption

Step 2: The Application
The Colorado Department of Human Services Application to Care For Children doesn't take long is free to complete. The county department or private child placement agency where you choose to pursue the family certification will provide you with an application.  Every applicant will have a Colorado and national background check for prior criminal and child abuse records.

Step 3: Training Classes
Foster and adoptive parents are required to attend training classes as part of the certification process. The classes are taught by experienced child welfare professionals. In addition to helping to prepare you and your family, the training covers issues including legal processes and issues, child growth and development, discipline, parenting and family dynamics, the importance of the team approach, working with the birth family, individual differences, as well as the challenges and the rewards of fostering and adopting.

Step 4: Family Assessment
A family assessment – also called a "home study" – is the process that helps us find appropriate families for the children who are in out-of-home care. Information is gathered through individual and joint interviews with a caseworker or another professional who will visit your home.

Here are some of the areas covered in the family assessment:

• Social history, background, personal characteristics, and values
• Problem solving and communication skills
• Parenting skills and family preparation
• Children and other people living in the home
• Family relationships and family support network
• Physical and social environment

Medical coverage
Children in foster care are covered under Medicaid. When a child comes to live with you, you'll receive a health insurance card that will cover doctor's visits, prescriptions, and other medical needs. Medicaid will also cover approved services such as counseling or physical therapy that the child needs.

Clothing allowance
Upon request, you will generally receive an initial clothing allowance to help purchase some of the items the child needs.

Special expenses
Sports, summer programs, after-school activities, school trips, graduation expenses - it all adds up! While the county department can't promise to meet every expense, your caseworker will work with you to find funds for those additional expenses that are important to the child's growth and development.

All information taken from www.ChangeALifeForever.org