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Helping Hands Foster Parent Recruitment

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Be a foster parent and enrich your life while enriching the life of a young person. The Helping Hands Foster Care program is actively recruiting foster families that meet our requirements for foster parenting. 

Get involved in short-term or long-term foster parenting and provide comfort, security, and hope to a child or teen. Our team provides the training and support to help you take this step toward fostering a young person and to help you work through the challenges and joys of foster parenting.  Open your home and discover the rewards of foster parenting.

Center For Family Services actively recruits foster families dedicated to working with children, age newborn - 19, for emergency, short-term, & long term foster care. A competitive stipend and intensive support services are offered for the foster families including 24-hour availability, training, and help with meeting licensing requirements.

Adults interested in foster parenting must meet the Helping Hands Foster Care program requirements:

  • must be 25 years of age and a legal US citizen or legal US resident
  • complete an extensive background check
  • successfully complete interview screenings
  • successfully complete home study
  • successfully complete extensive training program

For more information, complete a foster parent inquiry form or email recruitment@enterffs.org or call (856) 428-5688.

Frequently asked questions & answers:

Q: How do I become a Helping Hands Foster Parent?
A: First you must meet our eligibility criteria to be considered by Helping Hands. The application process involves trainings, scheduled visits to your home; staff members must gather paperwork, interview all the family members, inspect the home for safety and fully explain the responsibilities of foster parenting. It takes total commitment on the part of your entire family. Our careful screening process helps you to determine whether or not foster parenting is right for you. This is a selective process. Not all applicants become foster parents.
 
Q: What qualities should I possess to become a foster parent?
A: Our most successful foster parents are open-minded, dependable, honest, patient and willing to learn new parenting styles for children with different needs. Have a flexible schedule, being tolerant of change, and demonstrate the ability to follow our guidelines are all important qualities for success.
 
Q: Do I need any training or a license to be a foster parent?
A: Yes, you will be required to be licensed, we’ll provide everything you will need including orientation to the program, ongoing trainings, regular in-person support, twenty- four hour on-call support availability and other tools to help you learn and develop your skills along the way.
 
Q: How long will a child stay in my home?
A: This varies on the need of the child and the circumstances of his or her placement. Some children return home after only a few months, others after a year or so, sometimes children who can’t go home become eligible for adoption; others remain in foster care until age 19.
 
Q: Where will my foster child come from?
A: Children are placed through child protective agencies across the state. They may enter your home directly from their family’s home, another foster home or from a more restrictive setting such as a residential facility.
 
Q: What kind of kids will you place in my home?
A: There’s no typical foster child: some kids are stepping down from residential treatment, some have developmental delays, some have suffered severe trauma, some have never been required to follow the rules, some have built walls around themselves to keep out the hurt, and some have lost their beloved homes and families. Most will be connected with additional supports while in foster care. It won’t be easy to help a child who has known such pain but we will train you extensively on how to handle the specific needs of your foster child
 
Q: Must I take any child you present to me?
A: No, before placement Helping Hands will present you with available information about the child we believe “matches” your home. You may request additional information, and you may always accept or reject a child’s placement. Saying “no” does not affect our willingness to call you about other children in the future. We respect your right to do what you think is best for your family.
 
Q: Will I get to meet the child before he or she is placed in my home?
A: Sometimes if time permits, we can arrange for pre-placement visits. In many cases, however, a child’s need for a foster home is urgent, and you won’t be able to meet your foster child until he or she arrives at your home.
 
Q: Do you offer financial compensation?
A: Yes, Helping Hands provides compensation to cover room and board of foster children. This money is provided to cover such expenses as food, clothing, shelter, transportation, recreation and allowance, and should not be considered income. You will not be responsible for your child’s medical costs. Helping hands does not have a minimum income requirement. However, your income must be earned and should be sufficient to meet the financial needs of your family.
 
Q: How will my own children be affected by my foster children?
A: All children are influenced by behaviors and attitudes of other people, whether these individuals are friends at school, neighbors, or foster children. If your children understand your expectations and have a sense of appropriate behavior and values, it is unlikely that they will be adversely influenced.
 
Q: Do foster children need their own bedrooms?
A: No. Children of the same sex are permitted to share bedrooms provided that the foster children have space for belongings and adequate privacy. Children are not allowed to share the same bed. Each bedroom must have a door for privacy and a window to allow for ventilation and a second means of escape in case of emergency.
 
Q: When & where do children visit with their families?
A: When the goal is to eventually reunite the family, visits are crucial to help the child maintain a sense of belonging and identity. Visitation schedules vary and may be scheduled once a week or once or twice a month. Visits are generally held in a supervised location.  Your involvement in these visitations is completely optional.
 
Q: What kind of help and support will I get?
A: Helping Hands maintains frequent, consistent contact, and we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year to support and guide you.
 
Q: What If I’m overwhelmed or I can’t handle my foster child’s problem?
A: So that you don’t get overwhelmed we provide ongoing training and 1:1 support to address any areas of need you may have. We also provide respite care, both on a regular basis and on an emergency basis. At Helping Hands we recognize that sometimes placements fail despite everyone’s best efforts. If the situation becomes unworkable, we can move the child to another home.
 
Q: What forms of discipline am I allowed to enforce:
A: Your current parenting style will determine how much of an adjustment you will need to make to follow our guidelines. Our policies and guidelines are designed to protect both you and your foster children. We only allow appropriate, non-physical methods of discipline such as removing privileges, giving “timeouts” and using rewards, encouragement and praise for good behavior. Some of our discipline rules:
  • No physical punishment
  • No withholding meals, clothing or shelter
  • No verbal abuse or name-calling
  • No threats to have a child removed
  • No physically strenuous work or exercise solely for punishment
  • No allowing other children to punish foster child
  • No withholding family visitations
  
Q:  Do children ever become available for adoption:
A: Yes. Sometimes, for various reasons, children are unable to return home and may have a court-ordered goal of adoption. Foster families are always given adoption consideration when a child in their home needs a permanent family.
 
Q: Can my family and friends visit my home when a foster child is placed in my home?
A: Yes, Helping hands encourages you to make your friends and family aware of your decision to become a foster parent and respect the privacy of the children placed. We require all frequent visitors complete background checks and the fingerprinting process for the protection of the foster children and your family.
 
Q: Can I maintain a career while having a child in placement?
A: Yes, several of our foster parents work and have foster children. However it is important to remember that you must have flexibility in your schedule and be able to provide adequate time and support to each child. Like your own children you will be responsible for attending teacher conferences, medical appointments and transporting the children to recreational activities.
 
Q: Do foster children need to be enrolled in school?
A: All school –age children in placement must be registered in school. Home schooling a child in placement is prohibited.

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