How to Become a Foster Parent in Kentucky

In Kentucky, there are over 6,800 children in foster care, according to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Children are placed in foster care for a variety of reasons, including abuse and family crisis. When placement occurs, foster parents are responsible for providing a stable home environment until the child is able to return home, or in some cases, is placed for adoption. You can become a foster parent if you meet certain requirements, such as demonstrated financial stability and being at least 21 years old, and complete mandatory training.

Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain a packet of basic information about foster parenting by calling the Community Based Services office in your area or the Kentucky Foster Parent Hotline at (800) 232-KIDS (5437). This initial packet will provide you with an overview of the Kentucky Foster Care System, such as types of children in care and the requirements for becoming a foster parent.

    • 2

      Attend an informational meeting to get more in-depth information about the foster-care process and becoming a foster parent in Kentucky. At the meeting, you will have the opportunity to have your questions answered and to talk with current foster parents.

    • 3

      Complete background requirements. In order to become a foster parent in Kentucky, you must be able to demonstrate that you are capable of caring for a child, including having good physical and emotional health. Therefore, you must complete background requirements that include satisfactory criminal history and child-abuse checks; you must also supply physician statements and at least three references.

    • 4

      Go through training. Before becoming licensed, foster parents are required to complete 30 hours of training conducted by the Department of Community Based Services. The purpose of this training is for you to better understand the needs of children in care.

    • 5

      Allow an examination of your home by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to ensure that your home meets the established safety and space requirements, including access to transportation, schools and community activities, and ensuring that potentially dangerous items, such as medications and alcohol, are not available to children.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Be a Foster Parent in South Carolina
      Each year thousands of children are raised through foster-parent programs throughout the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service estimates that between 700,000 and 800,000 children were enrolled in a public foster-care system b
    • How to Become a Foster Parent in Michigan
      According to the U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Michigan reported 20,228 children in foster homes in September 2008. Children enter foster care because of neglect, abuse or abandonment. Most foster care placements are emergency placem
    • The Effects of Foster Homes for Children
      Children in foster care are placed with a foster family, with extended family or in a group home. While these children live with the foster family or in another foster care situation, their birth parents remain their legal guardians. Many children wh