What Support Can You Expect from a Foster Care Organization?

Deciding to become a foster parent is a big step. It means you care about children in foster care and are willing to make a commitment to help those in need of a loving home. But you may also have questions about how to navigate this journey and access support when you need it.

It’s important to understand that you are not expected to do this alone. Foster care organizations are built to help you each step of the way — before you’re licensed as a foster parent, after a child is placed in your home, and through the reunification process. 

Foster care organizations prioritize success for foster parents and the children in their care by offering guidance, resources, and strong support.

A Team That Stays with You

When you decide to become a foster parent, you’re paired with several key allies. This team is there to guide you through the process and support your dedication at each step. Team members include:

• Your coordinator (often called a caseworker) who becomes your main point of contact
• Family development educators who lead preservice sessions
• Licensed therapists who support behavioral and family needs

Team members collaborate weekly to review the needs of each child in foster care and ways to support their foster families. This regularity allows for timely communication and resolutions if problems arise.

After-hours organizational support is also standard for foster parents. Most programs offer 24/7 on-call coverage if you’re unsure what to do, or if you simply need to talk something through. On-call coordinators can coach you by phone and provide support and help. 

What this means for you:

• You have a primary caseworker to contact.
• A larger team meets behind the scenes to track needs.
• You can reach someone after hours for support by phone.

Clear Guidance Through Licensing

Getting licensed as a foster care parent is a rewarding yet busy process. This is another area where your foster care organization can assist by breaking down each step you need to take. Examples include:

• Application help: Many foster care organizations host informal information sessions so you can ask questions first. When you decide to move ahead, a staff member will help you complete an application.
• Home study assistance: Organizations will share what the home study involves, as well as what information is collected and how to ensure success. 
• Preservice sessions: These sessions are meant to prepare you to welcome a child in foster care into your home.
• Documentation preparation: Some states require regular documentation, such as weekly logs tied to Medicaid billing. Foster families receive a packet that shows exactly what to record, and coordinators review it during visits to ensure everything is accurate.

What this means for you:

• You won’t have to guess your way through forms or visits.
• Preservice sessions give you practical skills you can use on day one.
• You’ll know what to document and how to submit it before a child is placed in your care.

Support While You Wait for Placement

When you are licensed as a foster parent in your state, there is often a feeling of excitement in waiting to welcome a child in foster care to your home. To remove the guesswork, placement or intake teams check in regularly with new foster care parents. 

The matching process prioritizes the best fit for the child in foster care and the foster family so everyone’s needs and interests are met. 

What this means for you:

• You’ll hear updates about placement.
• Your preferences and the needs of the child in foster care will be carefully matched.

Support After a Child Moves In

For children in foster care and foster parents, the first weeks are significant in terms of adjustment and attachment. You can expect coordinator visits and weekly check-ins to ensure a positive transition. 

Therapy is a core support as well. Coordinators typically provide:

• One-on-one sessions with the child in foster care.
• One-on-one time with you as the foster parent.
• Joint sessions to practice communication and build routines together.

Most organizations also offer monthly group sessions for peer support and continued learning. 

What this means for you:

• Coordinator visits help with transitions.
• Supports for the child in foster care and foster parents.
• Ongoing skill development is available to learn and compare notes with other foster parents.

Situational Support: Court, Hospitals, Schools, and More

Your foster care organization’s support team also shows up in the moments that may feel hardest to navigate on your own. This might include:

• School meetings (including IEPs): Coordinators can coach you before a school meeting, attend with you when possible, and help with follow-through for Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans. 
• Court hearings: Court appearances can feel intimidating or emotional. A coordinator can explain what to expect and, when possible, attend so you’re not alone.
• Hospitals and emergencies: If an urgent situation arises, you can expect help with de-escalation, coordination with hospital staff, and a plan for what happens next.
• Working with birth families: The shared parenting approach builds safe, respectful communication. Reunification with birth families is the goal for foster care whenever possible.

What this means for you:

• You’ll have a professional beside you in new spaces or unfamiliar situations.
• You won’t have to navigate court procedures on your own.
• Assessments help you choose interventions that fit the child’s needs.

Everyday Practical Support

Foster parents receive a stipend to help cover daily costs for a child in foster care. Beyond the foster care stipend, you can expect hands-on help with daily logistics such as:

• Medical coordination: Your team helps schedule health care and therapeutic appointments, shares updates across providers, and keeps everyone on the same page.
• Transportation (varies by state): Some programs assist with rides to health care appointments, therapy, and school.
• Paperwork: Coordinators review documentation during visits, so everything is accurate and in order.
• Skill refreshers: Ongoing sessions revisit preservice content and add new strategies, so support grows with you.

What this means for you:

• You don’t have to be your own care coordinator.
• You’ll learn strategies and routines that lower stress.
• You’ll know which tasks are yours, which are the team’s, and how to share the load.

Foster Care Respite and Substitute Care

Foster care respite offers short-term substitute care so you can attend to needs, handle life events, or simply recharge. While availability varies by state, many foster care organizations provide two days per month as a baseline and help families find additional options when needed. 

Monthly group sessions also help foster parents meet each other and identify trusted respite providers.

What this means for you:

• Taking a break is encouraged.
• Your coordinator helps arrange and connect you with approved caregivers.
• Rested caregivers offer better care and respite helps everyone.

Reunification Support

Foster care reunification is the goal whenever it is safe and in the best interests of the child in foster care. It can also be the hardest part of fostering. Good foster care organizations help families plan for the emotional as well as logistical side of reunification.

As soon as reunification is likely, therapists and coordinators prepare you and the child in your care. You’ll talk about what goodbye may look like, how to capture memories, and how to handle the transition in healthy ways. 

You’ll also discuss how to support the child, including routines and calming strategies that will help in those final weeks.

What this means for you:

• Your feelings are normal, valid, and supported.
• Staff will check in with you and the child in your care throughout the process.
• You’ll have a plan for the final days and the weeks that follow.

Varied Support by State

Some foster care organizational supports are shaped by state rules. This can include respite allotments, documentation frequency, and transportation help. 

Others, such as preservice sessions, regular coordinator visits, after-hours support, and therapy access, tend to be consistent.

To find out what’s available for you, research your state’s foster care guidelines. When you meet with your local team, ask questions like:

• What supports are standard in our state?
• How does documentation work here?
• What are my options for substitute care and how do I set it up?
• Who joins me at school or court if needed?

Get One-on-One Guidance on Your Foster Care Journey

From preservice sessions to placement support and substitute care resources, foster care organizations are designed to stand beside you. You’ll have a team that shows up and coordinates support for the success of your foster parenting journey and the well-being of the child in your care.

Brenda Sanders, an educator for new foster families in Alabama, describes the organizational approach of Mentor Foster Care:

Whether you’re wondering about the licensing process or providing the best care for a child in need, you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

Are you ready to learn more about what it means to open your home and heart to a child in need?

Get one-on-one advice from a foster care expert today. No question is too big or too small. Explore whether fostering is the next step for you.