Yes, all children in foster care are covered by medicaid.
Yes. Foster parents are reimbursed for the cost of caring for each child based on the foster care room and board rate according to that child’s age. (Link to the foster care reinbursement rate)
Yes.
As a part of the licensing process, we will verify that you have a room available for a child to be placed with you.
It is our goal to help you complete the licensing process in 90-120 days. The length of time it takes to complete the assessment and licensing process depends on how quickly your application, personal references, and background checks are received, and when you are able to complete pre-service training.
No, the background check required to be a licensed resource family in Idaho must be completed at the time you apply.
There are several things we are looking for to ensure your home is a safe environment for a child. Please see the Foster Home Health and Safety Checklist for specific information. (add a link to this document from the resources page)
Here is an example of the questions you will be asked by your Resource Family Specialist (link to the Home Study Questionaire in the Resources page)
go look at the website for this answer:
Being licensed in Idaho is not dependent on your political or religious views, only your ability to provide a stable and safe environment for a foster care child.
Up to 10 hours of training will be required to be licensed initially and to renew your license each year.
Background checks will show your criminal history.
Once you have been approved for foster care, the time it takes to receive a placement depends on many factors, which may include: the type of child (age, gender, race, health, etc.) you are willing to accept and the number and type of children in need of placement.
There are some crimal charges that will disqualify you from being licensed in Idaho. Click here to view those charges (Link to the document of crimal charges)
Yes.
Yes, many of our community partners have resource closets you can use to access necessary items for foster care children. This includes clothing, furniture and hygen items. School supplies.
Yes, when reunification is not possible adoption is our next step for children placed in foster care.
Yes, and this is encouraged as we know that...
Yes, with court approval.
Resource parents are often asked to support visitations with biological families by providing transportation, monitoring a visit when appropriate, and supporting the child's emotional needs before and after a visit.
The Department is responsible for ensuring the child(ren) enrolled in school and organize transportation to attend school, provide access to daycare through the Idaho Child Care Program, and will cover the cost of approved activities.
This varies based on the family's situation. Placements can be as short as a day, to a year or longer when we are working to finalize adoption for the child.
Yes, the department can set up daycare through the Idaho Child Care Program.
It is important to know that the goal of child welfare is to always return the children back home to their parents and family. This process begins with visits between parents and children go from being supervised, to monitored to unsupervised. Eventually we will ahve overnight visits between parents and children and the case ends when we are able to return the children home on a permanency basis.
We will update your preferences for which foster care children you will accept, based on your reason for not accepting the placement. When the list of foster care children you are willing to accept becomes narrow it will reduce the amount of calls for placements you will recieve.
If you are experiencing challengs with a child placed in your care you should reach out to the Family Services Worker and the Resource Famiy Helpline as the department offeres additional supports and services to help with difficult adjustments.
You will always be notified of court hearings but you are not directly involved in the child welfare case. Your primary role is to be a support to the child through this process.
You can always contact the child's Family Services Worker, your assigned Resource Family Specialist and we have a 24 hour Helpline (1-208-334-5437 option 3)
