Criteria for Foster Home Licensing
- Must be a resident of Rockingham County
- Completion of online foster parent orientation at
https://ncswlearn.org/foster and copy of certificate given to the foster home
licensing social worker.
- Must be 21 years of age or older
- Received a high school diploma or GED Certificate
(verification required)
- 30 hour foster parent preparation class (MAPP-GPS Model
Approach to Partnerships in Parenting-Group Preparation and Selection)
- Any adult 21 years of age or older living in the home who
will share in the responsibility for the care, supervision, or discipline of
the foster child must also complete MAPP-GPS
- Completed Foster Home License Application
- References from three non-related individuals for each adult
- Criminal records check through the Sheriff's Department, NC
Dept. of Corrections and Protective Services on individuals 18 years of age and
older.
- If you have lived in another state you will be required to submit
certified criminal checks from that state.
- Anyone convicted of a felony involving the following cannot be licensed within the last 5 years:
- - A DWI charge
- - Physical
assault
- - Battery
- - Other drug-related offense
- Anyone convicted of a felony involving the following cannot
be licensed:
- - Child abuse or neglect
- - Spouse abuse
- - A crime against a
child(ren) including child pornography
- - A crime involving violence, including
rape, sexual assault, or homicide but not including other physical assault or
battery
Mandatory Criminal History Check
- 911 log records
- Finger Print clearance documentation
- Responsible Individual List documentation
- Physical examination by a physician and a TB Skin test on
each household member age 18 years and older.
- Psychological information may be
requested at the discretion of the agency.
- Fire and building safety inspection conducted by the county
or city Fire Marshal.
- There is a $50.00 fire inspection charge for those residing
in the county.
- There is a $50.00 fire inspection fee for those who reside in
the city limits of Eden.
- The Fire Marshal requires foster homes to have a 5 lb.
ABC fire extinguisher, Carbon Monoxide detector, emergency evacuation floor
plan and emergency phone numbers.
- Doors leading to the outside cannot have
double keyed deadbolts.
- Verification of a stable income sufficient to meet the needs
of your family without dependency upon the foster child's board payment.
- Verification of monthly household expenditures.
- Generally, our agency does not
license anyone who is a recipient of public assistance such as Work First, Food
Stamps, etc.
- Copy of valid NC Driver's license, verification of car
insurance and reliable transportation.
- Water Safety - If you have a swimming pool it must be fenced
in, gated and locked (4 ft. requirement).
- If you have a pond, lake, river, etc.
and it is visible there must be a barrier, such as a fence, between the water
source and your home.
- The required height is 4 feet.
- Willing to foster ages birth to age 18 unless there are
extenuating circumstances.
- Willing to assist in transporting the foster children in
your home to visits, appointments, etc if not employed.
- No more than 5 children can reside in any licensed family
foster home at any time.
- This includes foster parent's own children, daycare
children, etc.
- An evaluation of your home and family.
- Each child shall have his/her own bed and cannot share a
bed.
- No daybed, trundle bed, convertible sofa, futon or other bedding of a
temporary nature can be used.
- Each child must have separate drawer and closet
space for personal belongings.
- The foster home must have a telephone in working order, even
during power outages.
- Foster parents must participate in shared parenting with the
birth parents.
- The foster home license must be renewed every two years and
foster parents must have 10 hours of in-service training each year.
- CPR/First Aid, Universal Precautions and Medication
Administration training is required before a child can be placed in the foster
home.
- Children placed in a foster home receive a monthly board
rate and are eligible for Medicaid. The foster care board rate is for the
foster child only. It should not be used to supplement the foster parent's
income. The board rate is as follows:
- Age 0-5 $475.00 per month
- Age 6-12 $581.00 per month
- Age 13-18 $634.00 per month
- The foster care board payment is issued the month after a
child is placed with you and is based upon how many nights the child is in your
care.
- Often, children are placed in foster care with little to no
clothing, personal items, etc. DSS attempts to provide some clothing, but it is
helpful if you can obtain clothing for them (either using hand-me-downs or
purchasing the clothes yourself).
- If children require car seats you will be
expected to purchase the car seats yourself.
Generally, children are placed in DSS custody as a result of
the following:
- Neglect
- Abuse (physical/sexual)
- Dependency.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please
contact (336) 342-1394.