Types of Foster Care

Foster families offer children in crisis support and guidance when they need it most. Whether you’re a family, relative, or close friend looking to share the love and safety of your home, you can make a positive impact in the life of a child.

Relative Foster Care

Also known as Kinship Care

Relative Foster Care refers to children who are provided temporary or permanent care by relatives or close family friends (“fictive kin”). Relatives are frequently the preferred resource for children who are removed from their parents’ care because they help maintain a child’s connection to family and community.

CHS is dedicated to helping kinship parents give children the love and support they need until a permanent plan is determined.

What else do I need to know?

Relative Foster Care may be formal and involve a training and licensure process for the caregivers, monthly payments to help with the costs of caring for the child, and support services.

In many cases, it results in legal guardianship or adoption.

Become A Foster Parent

Therapeutic Foster Care

Providing Love, Care, Support and Treatment

Therapeutic foster care serves children with higher needs and provides additional support to foster parents. Research reveals that children’s needs are better met when they are in a family setting.

Licensed therapeutic foster parents are trained to provide evidence-based support related to behavioral and mental health goals that are established for the child. Along with training and support, therapeutic foster parents with CHS receive additional compensation and 24-hour emergency support.

What does it take?

Patience, consistency, stress management skills, a sense of humor, flexibility, and commitment.

How can I prepare?

CHS will support you however possible so that you can provide the best care to a child in need. You’ll undergo 30 hours of basic pre-service training, plus 10 hours of specific therapeutic foster care training.

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“I love having an advocate to help support me when we need assistance … and to feel heard and valued. It was never about getting a kid for our family; it was about being a family for a child.”

-CHS Foster Family

Becoming a Foster Parent
Fostering a child can be an incredibly rewarding experience. We’ll help you navigate challenges that arise and offer supportive services throughout your journey.
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Foster Care Support
Our dedicated CHS staff knows what it takes, and we will be with you every step of the way. Together, we can change lives — both yours and that of a child.
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Foster Care FAQs

If you have questions, we can help. Click here to explore commonly asked questions about adoption and our services.

  • Schedule a call with a Family Recruitment Specialist or attend an information meeting.

  • The licensing process, on average, takes 4-6 months.

  • We work with our families as best as possible around their preferences and help to educate them on the need for sibling groups and children above the age of 9.

  • We offer the training throughout the year. Your specialist will work with you to make sure you are enrolled in a training that best suits your schedule.

Ready to take the next step in fostering a child?

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