Fostering children in your home requires patience, flexibility, and the ability to provide a stable family life during a time of crisis for a child in need.
North Dakota foster care does not exclude anyone interested in becoming a foster care provider (foster parent) because of race, creed, religious belief, gender identity or marital status. However, because of the importance of our work with children, foster care provider must be of good character, in good physical and mental health, and be capable of providing a safe and stable living environment for children.
Prospective foster care providers must complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check and a home study with interviews with a licensing specialist.
A foster care provider must be licensed.
Basic Qualifications
- Have an approved criminal background check
- Be at least 21 years of age (single or married)
- Be financially stable
- Own or rent a home or apartment
- Be with or without children of their own
- Have adequate space for a child
- Have adequate income for your own family
- Understand placement into foster care is intended to be temporary
- Understand foster care is a safety service provided to children
- Be willing to complete required training including trauma-informed care methods
- Have the ability to work as a team with social workers and other service providers
- Have the ability to understand and show acceptance of the child's parents
Family Levels of Licensure
- Licensed - Full (Care for unrelated children and length of stay is dependent on the case plan)
- Licensed - Relative (Care for relative children and length of stay is dependent on the case plan)
- Certified Provider (Care for unrelated children for no more than 30 days. Great for respite and shelter care short-term)