The Heart of Foster Care: Changing a Child’s Future Starts with You

Every Child Deserves a Safe and Loving Home

Right now, more than 500 children in Delaware need foster families to provide stability, support, and love. Foster care is more than just a temporary home—it’s a lifeline for children facing hardship. If you’ve ever considered becoming a foster parent, now is the time to take that first step.

What is Foster Care?

Foster care provides a safe and supportive home for children who have been removed from their families due to abuse, neglect, or dependency. These children range from infants to teenagers and come from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Some may have special needs, while others require additional emotional or educational support.

The ultimate goal of foster care is reunification—helping families heal and bringing children back home when it’s safe. But in the meantime, foster parents play a crucial role in shaping a child’s future. By opening your heart and home, you’re giving a child a chance to grow, thrive, and feel valued.

Becoming a Foster Parent: How to Get Started

The first step to becoming a foster parent is simple: attend an information session. These sessions provide everything you need to know, from requirements to the next steps in the licensing process.

Foster Parent Information Sessions:

• Held once a month in New Castle County and once a month in Kent or Sussex Counties.
• Typically scheduled on a Tuesday or Wednesday from 6 PM – 9 PM (dates and locations may vary).
• Click here to register for an upcoming session.

Foster Care Ambassador Initiative: Be an Advocate

Not ready to foster but still want to help? The Foster Care Ambassador Initiative connects passionate individuals with opportunities to advocate for foster care awareness. Ambassadors help spread the word, recruit potential foster parents, and support foster families in their communities. Email DSCYF_FosterCare@delaware.gov for more details.

(Coming Soon) The Foster Parent Portal

A streamlined way to navigate the fostering process, the Foster Parent Portal will serve as a one-stop hub for training registration, coordinating with caseworkers, and tracking your progress toward certification. Stay tuned for updates!

Foster Parent Requirements

Fostering is open to individuals from all walks of life. You can be:

• Single, married, divorced, or widowed
• A homeowner or renter
• 21 years of age or older
• Economically stable
• Of any race or religion

Additional requirements include:

• Attending a 3-hour information session
• Completing 27 hours of pre-service training
• Passing a criminal background check and fingerprint screening
• Meeting home, health, and safety standards
• Providing personal references

Becoming a Respite Foster Care Parent

If full-time fostering isn’t an option, consider respite foster care—a short-term placement that provides primary foster parents with relief while ensuring a child continues receiving stable care. Respite parents receive training and support just like full-time foster parents and are a crucial part of the foster care network.

Foster Parent Support: You’re Never Alone

Foster parents receive extensive resources and support to help them through their journey:

• Foster Home Coordinators – Dedicated support for foster families, providing guidance and assistance.
• Respite Care – Short-term relief for foster parents to ensure self-care and family balance.
• Community Connections – Events and training opportunities to connect with other foster families.
• Foster Parent Support Program – Personalized assistance to strengthen parenting skills and prevent placement disruptions.

The Role of Private Foster Care Agencies

Delaware collaborates with seven private foster care agencies to serve children across the state. Contact any of the agencies below to learn more about their programs:

• A Better Chance for Our Children
• Cayuga Centers
• Child Inc.
• Children and Families First
• Children’s Choice
• Pressley Ridge
• Progressive Life Center

Other Ways to Help Foster Youth

If fostering isn’t for you, there are still many ways to support children in care:

• Spread the Word – Share foster care opportunities with friends, family, or coworkers.
• Invite a Speaker – Host a foster care representative at your church, workplace, or community event.
• Support Foster Youth – Donate school supplies, sponsor extracurricular activities, or contribute to holiday gift drives.
• Volunteer – Join organizations like Foster Well to provide meals or emotional support to foster families.

Take the First Step—Because Our Kids Matter

Foster parents change lives, and in return, their lives are forever enriched. You don’t have to be perfect to foster—just willing to open your heart. Register for an information session today and take the first step toward making a difference.

For more information, email DSCYF_FosterCare@delaware.gov or visit https://kids.delaware.gov/forms/foster-care-info-session/