If you’re wondering what the requirements are to become a foster parent in Alabama, we can help. Learn who can become a foster parent in Alabama!
According to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, there are over 5,700 children in foster care in the state.
With so many children in foster care, there’s a good chance kids in your very neighborhood are in need of a warm bed, nutritious food, and an adult they can trust.
Is it in your heart to make a difference?
Alabama doesn’t place restrictions on fostering based on one's line of work, marital status, or religious beliefs. Rather, the requirements to become a foster parent in Alabama are based on having an open heart and the resources needed to provide for a child.
In the words of Monteka, a foster parent with Mentor Foster Care, “Do it because that’s where your heart is, and do it because you genuinely care. And if you do it for those reasons, everything else will fall into place.”
According to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the requirements to be a foster parent include:
If you meet all of these requirements, congratulations — you can start the process of becoming a foster parent in Alabama.
Once you’ve identified whether you meet the requirements, it’s time to understand the steps involved with becoming a foster parent in Alabama.
From the application to a home assessment and classes, support is provided to you every step of the way.
Becoming a foster parent in Alabama begins with an application.
There are two different ways you can get started with the application process:
You can find the proper form on the Alabama Department of Human Resources website and fill it out.
Find a foster care organization, such as Mentor Foster Care, to support you with your application and throughout the process.
Getting started takes one minute: Simply complete a short form, and a team member will follow up to answer any questions and walk you through the process.
Mentor Foster Care operates in the following Alabama cities:
In Alabama, all potential foster parents must complete 30 hours of preservice sessions as part of the licensing process.
Known as the "Trauma Informed Partnering for Permanence and Safety" (TIPPS) class, these courses help foster parents understand how to best provide care for children who have experienced trauma. The comprehensive curriculum covers essential topics such as:
Unlike some other states, this course is specifically required to become a foster parent in Alabama.
The home study process involves assessing your home and the physical space, and meeting with a social worker to discuss your family and your interest in becoming a foster parent.
Components of this process, and what you’ll review with your social worker, include:
Your home will also be evaluated to ensure that it meets the physical requirements detailed by Alabama’s Minimum Standards for Foster Family Homes.
Examples of these physical home requirements include:
While it may feel like a lot, there’s a good chance you have many of these requirements already in place. And, if needed, you’ll be able to make any updates identified during the home study, such as finding a safe place for medications.
And, as Tacole Robinson, a foster parent with Mentor Foster Care, reassures:
As part of the licensing process in Alabama, all adult household members must undergo background checks that include:
These checks help ensure that children are placed in safe environments with caregivers who can provide appropriate support and protection.
Other certification requirements include getting or maintaining your CPR certification.
After getting your physical examination, the medical provider must complete a document confirming that the foster parent is capable of caring for a child in foster care.
Your three written references will be completed by someone who is not related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption. These are needed for every current or prospective caregiver in your house.
Once you've completed all the required steps — your application, TIPPS classes, home study, background checks, and other paperwork — the agency you choose will review your case and issue your foster parent license.
This official approval means you've met all of Alabama's requirements and are now eligible to have children placed in your home. Your license will specify details such as the number, ages, and needs of children you are approved to foster.
Once your license is granted, make sure you understand any requirements for maintaining it, such as any ongoing courses.
After your home study is approved, the matching process takes place.
The length of time to be matched with a child in Alabama depends on your preferences: If you are more open with your preferences, you will be matched with a child sooner. If you have more specific preferences, it might be a while before you are matched.
The matching process takes into account your family's strengths and preferences, along with the needs of the child in foster care, ensuring the best possible match for everyone involved.
In Alabama, siblings in foster care are expected to be placed together regardless of age differences or disabilities. While there are some exceptions, they are rare, and require a court order, as the state recognizes the fundamental importance of supporting sibling relationships and bonds.
Once you've been matched with a child, you'll welcome them into your home.
During this transition period, you'll receive support from your caseworker and foster care agency to help both you and the child adjust to this new arrangement.
Elizabeth Murrell, a foster parent, shares:
"We want you to feel safe and loved in our home. We understand that this may be a new and unfamiliar environment for you, but please know that we are here to support you every step of the way."
Even after becoming a licensed foster parent in Alabama, ongoing education is required to maintain your license and continue developing your skills. This includes:
Your journey as a foster parent is supported by professionals who are dedicated to helping both you and the children in your care succeed.
Tacole Robinson, a foster parent with Mentor Foster Care, describes the support foster parents continue to receive throughout the process, including 24/7 access to a nurse:
"I’ve been with Mentor for over 10 years now…the nurses, I’m able to text, I’m able to call, I’m able to say ‘Help!’ if and when it’s necessary.”
When you become a foster parent, there are responsibilities you need to understand for the child in foster care, your family, and you.
Foster parents need to provide a safe and nurturing space for their child — it’s the most important part of fostering.
In Alabama, this includes meeting basic needs, such as:
Foster parents play a major role in creating a stable and routine life for kids who are overcoming the challenges they faced early in life.
Tacole highlights this sentiment beautifully:
"I just love to see how wonders can happen and how we can be in awe of what can happen when children are nurtured, when they're supported, when they're loved."
Understanding the emotional needs of children in foster care is an important responsibility of foster parents.
Helping children in foster care feel safe, loved, and part of the family allows them to heal. Kids may need extra patience and help dealing with their feelings.
Foster parents play an important role in helping children in foster care learn and uncover their potential at school. This includes time at home, ensuring homework is done, and assisting with studying when needed.
It can also mean working with teachers and other professionals, discussing your child’s unique needs, and if an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is needed.
Building positive relationships is a big part of the responsibilities of foster parents.
This includes the relationship between foster parent and child, as well as connections with their birth parents, if possible.
Kids in foster care may have issues trusting adults will be there for them if they make a mistake. Foster parents have the unique opportunity to demonstrate love through both the ups and downs, and that our mistakes don’t define us.
Remember: While foster parents provide a temporary safe and loving home, the primary goal of foster care is reunification with the child’s biological family whenever possible.
According to the Alabama Governor's Office, 69% of children who exited foster care in 2023 were reunified with their parents or relatives, highlighting the importance of maintaining strong connections.
As kids in foster care reach their teenage years, foster parents need to help prepare a child in foster care for adulthood.
This involves providing emotional support and making sure that they are ready for independence.
For example, teens can be taught how to budget and save money. It may also involve teaching kids how to find what resources are available to help them, such as college scholarships if applicable.
Foster parents in Alabama have many resources to support their family and kids in their care. Here are a few examples:
Foster parents in Alabama receive a monthly allowance, or stipend, specifically designed to cover the costs of raising a child.
In Alabama, this amount ranges from $462 to $501 on average, and can range from $840 to $930 for therapeutic foster care.
This support helps with everything from basics, like food and clothing, to educational expenses, extracurricular activities, and gifts for birthdays or holidays.
Beyond the initial training required by the state of Alabama, ongoing training sessions ensure foster parents continue to give children the best possible care.
Preservice sessions may include topics such as:
Alabama provides additional resources beyond preservice sessions on the Alabama Foster & Adoptive Parent Association website.
One of the best support systems you can have as a foster parent is the community of others who understand the journey.
Whether you attend in-person or online communities on social networks or forums, you’ll be able to relate to other foster parents, ask questions, and rely on others who understand the experience.
The sense of community created by these networks is important for motivation, resilience, and well-being.
Want to learn more about the process of becoming a foster parent?
Get the support you need every step of the way with The Beginner's Guide to Foster Care.
You’ll get an understanding of foster care basics, actionable tips to connect with children in foster care, and much more.
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