Becoming a Foster Parent
Who are Foster Parents?
Foster parents are a unique group of people. Some are married couples, some have other children, some are single, and some have children of their own who are grown and independent. Foster parents come from many diverse backgrounds, lifestyles and income levels.
Foster parents have one thing in common: they want to provide children with a temporary supportive home while they are separated from their families.
Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent
Wesley House Family Services recruits, trains and supports foster parents for Monroe County children who can no longer remain safely in their own homes and do not have relatives able to care for them. On any given day, there are between 70-75 Keys children in foster care.
Wesley House offers the M.A.P.P. Certification Courses (Model Approach to a Partnership in Parenting) that are required for anyone wishing to become a foster parent in Monroe County. Prospective foster parents must also undergo background and character screening and a home inspection before they can become licensed.
The required steps to becoming a licensed foster home are:
- Completion of the Foster Home License Application - Click for application
- Completion of the 30-hour M.A.P.P. Certification Courses click for schedule (Model Approach to a Partnership in Parenting) that helps determine whether foster parenting or adoption is right for you and your family - Click for application
- Passing a criminal background check, including fingerprinting
- A fire and sanitation inspection of your home
After successful completion of M.A.P.P. training, it takes approximately three months to become licensed. Once licensed, the foster parents must complete eight hours of related training every year.
305.809.5000