FAQs

We cannot generally certify a single-parent home when that parent works an evening shift. Parental presence in the evening is crucial for bonding and togetherness with your foster children. The comfort of receiving consistent evening meals and developing bedtime rituals with you and your foster child is very important. It is acceptable if you are a two-parent family and one parent is home while the other is working.

We do not have respite care homes, only emergency foster homes. Most of the foster homes that offer emergency care are comprised of seasoned foster parents. This is because as an emergency foster parent, you cannot choose which child to accept, but must take whoever is in need.

Every foster parent needs to have enough income to support themselves and their family. The source of income does not generally matter but must be verified. If you are employed, an employer’s reference will be requested.

A Caseworker will provide fingerprinting information for all adults over 18 who live with you, as well as fingerprinting locations. There is no cost to you.

The first step in the certification process is to attend an information session. Once you complete the information session you will be emailed a URL and passcode to complete the application online. Monroe County then completes a local child abuse clearance and if cleared, you will be contacted by a caseworker to schedule a visit to your home. If you all agree that foster parenting may be for you, you will be enrolled in a 10-session training class called NTDC (National Training & Development Curriculum). Halfway through the class, a second home visit will be scheduled with your caseworker. You then continue and complete the training class at which time a final home visit will be made out to your home. Your caseworker then completes your home study and you’re certified to welcome children into your home.

There is ongoing support and training all year for our foster families. Some training classes include:
Crisis intervention
Child development
Sexuality education
Parenting the Sexually Abused Child

Each year, foster parents are required to attend a minimum of six hours of training. You will also have your own homefinding caseworker. He/she is your advocate and is there to support you, hear you out, and intervene in situations when necessary. You can contact your homefinder for current trainings.

Yes, one application per applicant is necessary, but both will be done through the same log in.

Yes, it is mandatory to fingerprint all adults 18 and over, who are living in the home, including college students.

Although an infant may be placed in the same bedroom with an adult, in general, it is difficult to certify a foster home that has only one bedroom. We are often unsure of the length of stays for our foster children, and a child placed as an infant in your home will soon require another bedroom.

All medical issues are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Many foster parents have different medical conditions but are still certified to become foster parents. Our determination is based on a medical form that is submitted to your doctor. You will need to have a physical and a doctor’s signature attesting to your overall health and fitness to care for children.

Our workers share all available information about each foster child at the time of placement. This amount of information will vary depending on whether the child is new to the Monroe County foster care system or has been with us for a while. Our caseworkers will bring any new information to you as soon as it is available. As foster parents, you have a need to have as much background information as possible so you can be better attuned to the needs of your child.

Yes. We always try to place children in homes that best meet their needs. This includes looking at the strengths of the foster parents and their ability to deal with the specific challenges and strengths that each child brings. Sometimes placing a child in a same-race home best meets their needs. At other times a home of a different race might best meet their needs. We are always looking at how to offer a child a home that will best enhance their emotional, behavioral, educational, and cultural development.

Child abuse and neglect are the main reasons children come into foster care.

On average, 50% of foster children return home or to a suitable relative within a couple of months. Beyond that, it varies, with the average length of stay being around 2 years.

There is no specific rule for what is the best age child for each family to foster. We hope that you have ongoing discussions with your own children to help determine what feels right for them, and combine that with your own preferences and affinities in order to arrive at a decision.

Foster children stay in the school district of origin unless there is a reason they can not stay in that district.  Also, a foster child can attend a private school although the county cannot pay for private schooling (occasionally a foster parent has taken on that responsibility themselves, voluntarily). This is dicsussed on a case-by-case basis. Foster children cannot be home-schooled.

The transition of a foster child to a foster parent varies. In most instances the worker brings the child to the foster parent's home; occasionally the foster parent picks the child up at the agency, or hospital when this is most appropriate. Foster parents would never be asked to pick the child up from the birth parent's home.

Many of our foster children eventually become freed for adoption, and of those children 90% are adopted by their foster parents. We really do not know which of our foster children may go on to become adoptable, nor do we try to predict it as many variables can impact the outcome. Our first goal is always to reunite a child with their birth families or other suitable family members. When this is not possible, a child may become freed for adoption through Family Court. We always have children who are awaiting adoption and can refer you to our adoption unit.

Yes, the Monroe County Department of Human Services will cover day care costs for your foster child(ren) if you are employed outside of the home. Your foster child(ren) can attend any of the centers or family day care homes that are certified to care for foster children (a list can be obtained from the county).

Medicaid pays for all medical bills and therapy for foster children. One of our foster care caseworkers will facilitate this process to make it easier on you. Also, all foster children must go to Starlight Pediatrics located at 451 East Henrietta Road. The team of professionals there is highly skilled in working with the foster care population and provide incredible care for these special children. Should you ever adopt a child, he/she may then begin seeing your own pediatrician.

We encourage foster parents to take vacations with their foster children – many of these children have not had an opportunity to travel outside of Rochester and benefit greatly from vacations with foster families. However, you must always notify your caseworker when you plan to go out of town so we can make a good plan for the child. This includes securing needed permissions if you wish to take the child with you or finding a suitable foster home for the child to stay in until you return.

Yes. We recognize that you will want to enjoy an afternoon or evening out from time to time, for errands or recreation. Any babysitter, for such purposes, must be a minimum of 18 years of age. We ask that you use your good judgment in choosing a suitable adult who can appropriately care for your foster children. Should the need for overnight care arise, you must notify your caseworker, who will arrange for a certified foster home to care for the child.

We require foster parents to transport and attend foster children's medical appointments. Medical motors transports the children to visits with their parents but it can be done by the foster parents (mileage reimbursement is available).

Yes, you should keep documentation of all purchases should your caseworker need them for reconciliation purposes.

There are two types of respite care:
• Emergency – when there is a death in the family; emergency surgery; etc.
• Planned – meant to sustain a placement in a foster home when the demands of parenting a particular child are such that the foster parent needs a short break.

Foster parents have a homefinding caseworker and a caseworker working with each child who encourages and supports them through the situation. There is also extensive training offered to foster parents, including offerings related to dealing with loss, transition, etc.

It is not in the best interests of a foster child to have their primary caretaker out of town overnight on any regular basis, particularly since that usually necessitates a move to another certified foster home until the foster parent returns. Our children’s needs demand as much available time from the foster parent(s) as possible. We do look at every situation on a case-by-case basis, but the needs of the child must come first over the schedule of a foster parent.

Depending on the age of the child you are taking you either need a full-size crib or a regular bed, minimum twin size. No futons, trundles, sleeper sofas, mini cribs, or bassinets are allowed. You can have a child nap in a pack-n-play but they can not sleep overnight in one.