Foster parents are vital members of a team of professionals who protect, comfort and nurture children until they can be returned safely to their birth family or be placed in another permanent home.

Who are the children in foster care?

• Children in foster care come from a variety of backgrounds. They’re of all ethnicities and range in age from 1 day old to 17 years old.

• Children in foster care have done nothing wrong. They have been removed from their home environments for their protection and safety.

Children in foster care are rewarding to parent.

• Foster parents consistently tell us that seeing children grow, learn and change is a deeply inspiring and gratifying experience.

• Foster parents often describe foster parenting as a way to “live their values.” They believe they’re making a real difference in another person’s life.

• Children are resilient. While under the care of loving, consistent caregivers, children in foster care make tremendous strides toward mental and physical health.

Children’s basic needs are paid for by Washington State.

• Foster parents receive a small reimbursement each month for the child’s clothing, food and other basic items.
• Children in foster care receive full medical, dental, vision and mental health coverage.
• There is no application fee, or fees of any kind, charged to foster parents.
• Daycare reimbursement is available.

Foster parents’ private information is confidential.

• No contact information for a foster family is ever released without their permission.
• Foster parents collaborate with the child’s care team members to create communication plans with birth parents that are healthy and safe for the foster family and for the child.

Foster parents are vital members of a team

• The primary purpose of the team is to assist a child on his or her journey home.
• Foster parent feedback on the child’s growth and progress is actively solicited.
• Social workers visit with foster parents and children in person every month.
• Foster parents are allowed to be present at court hearings, and submit a caregiver’s report to the court, involving the children in their care.

Learn more about being a foster parent

Please join us for our monthly Foster Care Information Meeting, held the second Wednesday of each month at our office, 6:00-8:00 p.m. You can register online or by calling 206.260.1700.