Preparing Resource Families for Foster Care Success

The complex and nuanced child welfare system can be challenging for new foster parents to navigate. Despite receiving extensive training and undergoing intensive approval processes, many families may still need assistance to keep up with the constantly changing system.

Support these families in your community by providing resources that offer help and guidance as they navigate the process.

• Share the Navigating the Child Welfare System as a Foster Parent webpage to help foster families partner with caseworkers and birth parents to care for children in their homes. Find information about building positive relationships with birth parents, developing a support network, and more.
  
  
• For those looking to grasp the overall purposes and functions of the child welfare system, point to How the Child Welfare System Works, which includes a flowchart that illustrates how cases typically move through the system. The factsheet is also available in Spanish here.
  
  
• Provide a list of national organizations foster families can go to for additional information and resources that offer support and guidance by sharing the Supports for Foster Families

Did you know a strong, collaborative foster family/birth family relationship can lead to improved outcomes for children and increase the likelihood of safe reunification?

Empower new resource parents to start their journey with a commitment to a collaborative relationship with the child’s family.

Share the factsheet Partnering With Parents to Promote Reunification to get them off to a great start!

Your feedback is important. Be sure to let us know how we're doing by taking our survey! For more information, visit our website, email us at info@childwelfare.gov, or call us toll-free at 1.800.394.3366.