Foster Care Program

A Home to Call Their Own

At Beacon Center, we offer safe and loving homes, and support services to children, 0-17 years old, who are under the conservatorship of Child Protective Services and need a stable, long-term home with a nurturing foster family to call their own.

Our foster families open their homes to support the every-day needs of vulnerable children who simply need love, care, and nurturing in order to thrive beyond their current circumstances.

If you are interested in fostering a child or sibling group continue reading below, then click the button to submit an inquiry form.

  • Traditional Foster Care

    Traditional foster care is for children in need of out of home placement in a loving and nurturing home where they can get their basic to moderate needs met. Children in basic foster care function well and similar to other children in their age group, and do not have any significant health or behavioral needs.

  • Therapeutic Foster Care

    Therapeutic foster care is for children who have experienced significant trauma due to abuse and/or neglect. Their emotional and behavioral needs require special attention and care, and may require specific interventions by foster parents who have the skills and abilities necessary to meet their needs and support the children in reaching their full potential, despite their experiences. This type of foster care is for a family willing to invest the time and effort necessary to help them understand and work through their issues in a safe and positive manner.

  • Special Needs Foster Care

    Special needs foster care is for children who come into the foster care system with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities who need a loving and attentive home to grow their capabilities. These children may have minor to severe difficulties with conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills; minor to severe impairment in communication, cognition, or expressions of affect; lack of motivation or the inability to complete self-care activities or participate in social activities; have an inability to respond appropriately to an emergency; or have multiple physical disabilities including sensory impairments.

  • Primary Medical Foster Care

    Primary Medical foster care is provided to children with a serious, ongoing illness or chronic condition that requires specialized attention and the use of assistive medical equipment. A child with medical needs may require a skilled foster parent who has demonstrated competence in attending to the child’s medical needs. These children may need intensive interventions related to the diagnosed medical condition; may have limited ability to perform daily living and self-care skills; may be ambulatory with assistance or non-ambulatory or confined to a bed or wheelchair.

  • Respite Foster Care

    Respite foster care is provided by temporary caregivers who offer short-term care to the foster children of other foster parents when they have a family emergency, need personal time, or simply need a break.

Foster Parent Characteristics

Beacon Center seeks foster parents who have the following characteristics:

  • Have a genuine heart for children and want to meet their day-to-day physical, emotional, developmental, social, and spiritual needs.

  • Are emotionally nurturing; have a structured home environment;

  • Are willing to accept a child’s birth family and work with them towards family reunification (as indicated by the service plan);

  • Provide for a child’s basic needs for food, clothing, personal care items, and school supplies;

  • Provide opportunities for socialization and recreational actives;

  • Teach life skills when age appropriate; provide transportation to and from necessary appointment;

  • Participate in the child’s education, including attending school meetings and conferences, and helping the child with school work.

Foster Parent Criteria

Individuals and families interested in fostering children through our Foster Care Program must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be 21 years old, 25 if single;

  2. Financially stable, responsible, and mature;

  3. Be in overall good physical health;

  4. Have dependable transportation;

  5. Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;

  6. Have a high school diploma or GED;

  7. Not have had a marital status change in the past year;

  8. Pass a criminal history background check, and abuse/neglect check on all adults in the household;

  9. Provide personal references from spiritual, business, employment, and social relationships, and at least one personal reference from a relative not living with you;

  10. Complete a foster parent application;

  11. Participate in required training;

  12. Become certified in First Aid and CPR;

  13. Agree to follow all of our policies & procedures, including our policy on no physical discipline;

  14. Have adequate sleeping space;

  15. Conduct home fire, health and safety inspections;

  16. All household members must participate in a comprehensive home study by sharing personal background and lifestyle information;

Foster Parent Inquiry

To inquire about opening your home to a child in care, please complete the form below.