When is adoption considered?
Foster care is intended to be temporary. If a court determines that it is not in a child’s best interest
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Become a Foster or Adoptive Family
Let’s work together to help them find a caring foster family in the community they know as home.
There are more than 22,000 Ohio children living in out-of-home care settings.
Nearly 3,200 of these children are waiting for an adoptive home.
You can make a difference in the lives of these children in need.
You Can Help
Today in Northwest Ohio there are children in need of foster parents.
And they’re hoping someone like you will think about becoming a foster parent.
Right now, we are facing the challenge of having enough foster and adoptive families in Hancock, Putnam, Seneca, Wyandot and Wood County communities.
Let’s work together to help them find a caring foster family in the community they know as home.
When a child is not able to live with his or her parents, every effort is made to keep him or her with family and loved ones. The Ohio Job & Family Services agencies in our counties strives to place children in their own neighborhoods or communities to help them maintain relationships with family, friends and school so that their support network is nearby and disruption in the child’s life is minimized. With your help as a foster or adoptive parent, we can keep children here in their home community.
YOU CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT A CRITICAL TIME
Kids of all ages in our community are in need of local foster parents like you. Perhaps you feel called to help and are ready to learn more and take the next steps to becoming a foster or adoptive parent.
There are so many kids out there that need a loving home.
You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to be rich.
You just have to have space in your house and in your heart.
What's Involved
YOU CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT A CRITICAL TIME
Kids of all ages in our community are in need of local foster parents like you. Perhaps you feel called to help and are ready to learn more and take the next steps to becoming a foster or adoptive parent.
The Ohio Jobs and Family Services agencies of Hancock, Putnam, Seneca, Wyandot and Wood Counties are looking for special families to open their hearts and homes as foster care providers to local children in need.
When a child cannot safely remain in his or her own home as the result of abuse, neglect or other unsafe conditions, we call on foster and adoptive families to provide a temporary home where the child can feel safe, welcome, supported and loved.
All they need is love and support.
Foster parents help teach skills, offer love and support, and encourage children in their care to grow up to be the best they can be. Foster parents care for children until a court decides that they can return home safely or that they should be placed with adoptive parents or legal guardians. Foster parents also are active and involved in the child’s case – attending court hearings, school meetings and functions, and communicating with caseworkers and service providers.
There is no denying that becoming a foster parent takes real commitment from special caring, loving people and families. But the reward that comes from helping make a difference in a child’s life is beyond compare.
Let’s work together to help them find a caring foster family in the community they know as home.
The process to becoming a foster parent is relatively simple.
Throughout your time as a foster parent, you will receive continued support and guidance from your caseworker and the child-placing agency.
General requirements for foster parenting in Ohio. To become a foster parent, you must meet the requirements summarized here. A caseworker will work with you to help determine your parenting strengths and make sure you are prepared to be a foster parent.
Get Started
General requirements for foster parenting in Ohio.
To become a foster parent, you must meet the requirements summarized here. A caseworker will work with you to help determine your parenting strengths and make sure you are prepared to be a foster parent.
- You must be at least 21 years old.
- You may be single, married or divorced.
- You may own or rent your home.
- You must be able to read, write and speak English to communicate effectively with the child and foster agency.
- Your household must have enough income to meet the basic needs of the child, and rent or mortgage payments.
- You must be free of any physical, emotional or mental conditions that could impair your ability to care for the child or endanger the child.
- You (and each member of your household) must complete and sign a medical statement through a licensed or certified health care professional.
- Your home must be inspected by the state’s fire safety inspector or fire marshal’s office and certified to be free of hazardous conditions.
- You (and everyone over 18-years old living in your home) must never have been convicted of – or entered guilty pleas for – any offenses defined in Ohio Revised Code section 5103.0319.
- You must be free of any physical, emotional or mental conditions that could impair your ability to care for the child or endanger the child.
For more detailed information contact your local Jobs & Family Services office or the Ohio Job & Family Services website.
Getting Started
Have you considered sharing your family’s love and kindness with a local child who needs a caring home? We look forward to hearing from you!
Please contact your local Jobs and Family Services office today to learn more about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, schedule an in-person meeting or to enroll in the next training session.
About Foster Care Licensing
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) oversees Ohio’s foster care system. To become a foster parent, you must be licensed by ODJFS through your county public children services agency (PCSA) or a private agency certified by ODJFS to approve and recommend foster parents.
WHO WE ARE
The Foster Local/Adopt Local campaign is presented by the Ohio Jobs & Family Services agencies of Hancock, Putnam, Seneca, Wyandot and Wood County communities. We are committed to ensuring that there are caring, local families available to bring a child into their home.
Through outreach and education, we hope to inspire residents of our counties to take action to become foster and/or adoptive parents so that more children in need can be placed with local families.
It is our hope that, when the need arises, more children will be placed with local families to allow children to remain in a familiar environment and be a part of a caring and, ultimately, forever home environment.
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Are there any marriage or family requirements to becoming a foster parent in Ohio?
You may be single or married.
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Is there help for covering the child’s medical care?
Children in foster care are eligible for medical coverage through Medicaid. Foster families receive subsidies to help meet children’s daily
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