How to Become a Resource Parent in California: The 5 Key Steps To Becoming a Foster or Fost-Adopt Parent in California​

1. How to Become
a Resource
Parent in
California
The 5 Key Steps To Becoming a
Foster or Fost-Adopt Parent in
California

2. Introduction
There are over 400,000 foster youth in the United States, and around
51,000 just in California. Here, in the Golden State, roughly one
third of all foster youth live with non-relatives.
If you are interested in providing support and a home for youth in
need in your community, it’s important to know how to become a
foster parent (now known as a Resource Parent). You may want to
start by visiting our Frequently Asked Questions page.
The main steps of becoming a resource parent in the state of
California include these five steps.

3. Step One: See if You Are
Eligible to Foster a Child,
Teen or Siblings
The best way to learn if an
individual or couple is eligible to
foster children or teens is to reach
out to a foster family agency (FFA)
like AFS or your county of
residence.
A recruiter will answer your
questions and help determine if
fostering or adopting is right for
you.

4. • All potential Resource Parents must be approved before
they can legally have foster youth living in their home.
The approval process includes an application, home visits,
background checks and non-relative references, family
evaluation, among other requirements that can be found
on our FAQs page.
• An individual or couple will begin the application process
to become a resource parent either with a foster family
agency (FFA) like AFS or with their county. At AFS, the
applicant is guided through the entire approval process by
a home approver.
• Home approvers answer applicant questions and assess
that potential resource parents can provide stable, safe,
and accommodating homes for foster youth. Some
circumstances that may prevent a person from becoming
a resource parent include: lack of space for a child,
inability to provide basic needs and/or having been found
guilty of certain crimes.
Step Two: Apply to be an
Approved Resource Parent

5. Step Three: Training
Resource Parents must participate in specific training (such as CPR or first aid)
prior to a child, teen, or siblings being placed into their home. A dedicated
foster care agency, like AFS, or a local education center, provides free trainings
for resource parents.

6. Step Four: Placement
Every foster child, teen and sibling group has unique
needs and interests. Before a placement is made, a
dedicated caseworker will provide guidance and
insight to make the right match and ensure that the
situation will be ideal for all involved parties. AFS
caseworkers provide continuous support throughout
the placement process to ensure everything goes as
smooth as possible.

7. Step Five:
Welcome a Child into your Home
Once you have been approved to receive a
placement, you’re placed on a vacancy list.
Depending on what type of placement you’ve signed
up for, you may be called upon to receive a child,
teen, or siblings at any time.
A caseworker will provide round-the-clock support,
in either English and/or Spanish, to make sure you
have all the physical, mental, and emotional tools
available to provide the foster youth with the love
and care necessary to help them heal and thrive.

8. Interested in becoming a Resource Parent
in Northern California?
Click here to begin the process with AFS
CONTACT US
(800) 300-1022
rfarecruitment@afs4kids.org
Si necesita hablar con alguien en español: (800)300-1022