How to Become Foster Parents in Washington State

Foster parents can change a child's life by sharing their homes and families with these youngsters who need homes. In Washington State, foster parents must be able to provide a stable home for children---which includes having a regular income and family members who are healthy and do not have criminal histories. Becoming a foster home can be a rewarding experience for a family as well as for the foster child.

Things You'll Need

  • Regular income
  • Clean criminal record

Instructions

    • 1

      Complete the Application for Foster Family Home Care License. This form, which can be found at www.dshs.wa.gov/ca/fosterparents/be_FosterLicense.asp, should be mailed to the Division of Licensed Resources in your area. A list of these offices can be found at https://fortress.wa.gov/dshs/f2ws03apps/caofficespub/offices/general/OfficePick.asp.

    • 2

      Complete and mail back the supplemental forms that the Division of Licensed Resources sends to you. The information it will ask for includes your autobiographical information.

    • 3

      Participate in required orientation and pre-service training. Orientation courses are conducted online and in person. The pre-service training entails 30 hours of coursework. You must also attend classes about first aid, CPR and blood borne pathogens.

    • 4

      Participate in a background check. This includes a study of the whole family to ensure that no one has a criminal history or suffers from conditions like tuberculosis.

    • 5

      Complete ongoing training. Foster parents are required to undergo 36 hours of ongoing training every year for the duration of their 3-year licensing period. The training includes information related to child welfare.

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