Guernsey County Children Services
Safety, Protection and Permanency
Foster parenting has two main goals. The first goal is to provide the best possible care and supervision to children who cannot remain at home. The second goal is for the entire team; foster parents, biological parents, caseworkers, counselors, and others, to work toward the reunification of the family, or when necessary, to develop other permanent plans such as adoption or a planned permanent living arrangement for the older child.
Considerations:
- Are you willing to make a commitment to help a child and his family with their problems?
- Do you have room in your home for a foster child?
- How stable is your family?
- How are you doing now as a parent?
- How do your children feel about foster care?
- Do you have the flexibility to accept a child who will be unaccustomed to your family’s rules and routine?
- Do you have the time to devote to obtaining and maintaining your license to foster?
Requirements:
- County resident for at least one year
- Marital status unchanged for at least one year
- Must be over the age of 21
- Must be able to meet own financial needs
- Has participated in 36 hours of pre-placement training
Foster care is full-time, although temporary, care given to children who, for various reasons, are unable to remain in their own homes.
Foster parents are people who assume the role of co-parents, willing to work with biological parents and other care givers in building healthy relationships toward the reunification of families. These foster families are trained as professionals, approved by the Agency, and then certified by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
