Am I Ready to Foster? 10 Honest Questions to Ask Yourself Before Applying
Becoming a foster parent is one of the most meaningful decisions you'll ever make. It's also one that deserves careful, honest reflection. At the National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP), we believe in helping prospective foster parents think deeply about this commitment before taking the first step.
If you're considering foster care, these ten questions can help you determine whether now is the right time to begin your fostering journey.
1. Do I have the time to invest in training?
Before becoming licensed, you'll complete comprehensive pre-service training. You'll learn what foster parenting is all about, the expectations, challenges, and rewards. Training covers topics like working with a child or youth's primary family, helping them adjust to life in foster care, understanding the impact of trauma on development, behavior management, maintaining safety, and navigating your state's child welfare system.
After receiving your foster care license, you'll continue learning through ongoing training opportunities and regular meetings with your NYAP team of professionals.
Ask yourself: Am I willing to invest the time needed to develop the skills that will help me succeed as a foster parent?
2. Am I able to meet the expectations of being a foster parent?
Foster parenting with NYAP means more than providing a safe place to sleep and meals on the table. You'll be an active, knowledgeable participant in supporting children and youth who have experienced trauma. This includes attending team meetings, collaborating with case workers and therapists, and implementing behavior management strategies you'll learn in training.
Foster parents are vital members of the care team, equipped with skills and knowledge to support healing and growth.
Ask yourself: Am I ready to be an active partner in each child or youth's unique healing journey?
3. Does my family support this decision?
Foster care affects your entire household. If you have a partner, biological children, or other family members living in your home, everyone needs to be on board. Your family will also go through interviews during the home study process, and their input matters in determining whether fostering is the right fit.
Ask yourself: Have I had honest conversations with my family about what foster care will mean for all of us?
4. Can I provide a safe, welcoming space with privacy for children and youth?
Foster care licensure requires that you have adequate space for each child or youth in your care, whether you live in an apartment, condominium, or house. Specific space requirements vary by state, but beyond meeting physical requirements, you'll need to create an environment where a young person feels they have their own space and sense of belonging.
Ask yourself: Do I have room in my home and in my heart to welcome someone new?
5. Do I have the financial stability to sustain my household without foster care stipends?
While foster parents receive stipends to cover the costs of caring for children or youth, including food, housing, school activities and supplies, personal care items, and birthday and holiday gifts, these payments are designed to support each child or youth’s needs, not to supplement your household income. You'll need to demonstrate that you can maintain your home and lifestyle independently.
Ask yourself: Is my household financially stable enough that foster care stipends to support the care of children and youth living in my home aren't a necessity for our budget?
6. Am I prepared to support a child or youth's connection with their primary family?
One of NYAP's core principles is maintaining family connections whenever possible. In most cases, reunifying children and youth with their primary family is the goal. This means you may transport children or youth to family visits, speak positively about their family members, and even build supportive relationships with those families yourself.
NYAP’s foster care programs are unique because they promote foster parent engagement with primary families, when appropriate, with the goal of foster parents becoming mentors and natural supports for the families of the children and youth we serve.
Ask yourself: Can I embrace and support the important people in the lives of children and youth without judgment, even when their situations may be complicated?
7. Am I prepared to support reunification?
The goal of foster care is reunification. However, there are times when reunification is not possible. In those cases, we help children and youth achieve permanency through kinship care, independent living, or other appropriate arrangements. Foster care placements are temporary, and you will need to say goodbye to children and youth you've grown to care for so deeply. While this is one of the hardest parts of fostering, it's also what makes your role so vital.
As wonderful as your home is, it is extremely challenging for children and youth to live in foster care. NYAP's goal is to ensure we communicate the permanency plan for each child or youth with you in a timely manner and keep you informed on all developments related to their living arrangements.
Ask yourself: Can I find meaning in providing temporary stability and care, while knowing there will be goodbyes?
8. Am I emotionally prepared to provide trauma-informed care?
Many children and youth experiencing foster care have experienced significant trauma. They may struggle with emotional dysregulation, behavioral challenges, or difficulty trusting adults. NYAP provides comprehensive trauma-informed training to both employees and foster parents, so you'll be well-equipped to respond to these challenges with compassion and effective strategies.
However, training alone isn't enough; you'll also need patience, empathy, and resilience to put that training into practice during difficult moments.
Ask yourself: Can I respond to challenging behaviors with compassion and an understanding that these behaviors are often rooted in past trauma?
9. Can I be flexible and adapt to unexpected situations?
Foster care rarely goes exactly as planned. Children and youth often need a foster home on very short notice, often in the middle of the night. Each child or youth's needs may evolve over time. Family situations can change unexpectedly. NYAP provides 24/7 crisis support through our on-call system to help you feel more comfortable with a degree of uncertainty and change while still providing consistency for a child or youth.
Ask yourself: Am I adaptable enough to handle the unpredictable nature of foster care while providing stability for the children or youth in my care?
10. Am I willing to be an advocate for each child or youth in my care?
At NYAP, we embody an unconditional commitment to the success of every child and youth we serve. This means we never stop believing in their ability to heal, grow, and thrive, even during the most challenging moments.
We need foster parents who share our belief.
Ask yourself: Can I promise to advocate for and support each child or youth through their most challenging days?
What Comes Next?
If you've reflected on these questions and feel ready to take the next step, NYAP's experienced team is here to guide you through the process. We'll support you from your initial inquiry through licensing and beyond, ensuring you have the training, resources, and ongoing assistance you need to succeed.
Fostering isn't the right fit for everyone, and that's okay. The fact that you're asking yourself these honest questions shows the thoughtfulness and care that makes someone a strong potential foster parent.
Your Journey to Becoming a NYAP Foster Parent
Once you're ready, here's what you can expect:
Reach Out- Submit a foster parent inquiry form or contact your local NYAP office
Attend Information Session- Learn more about becoming a foster parent in your state
Complete Pre-Service Training - Gain essential knowledge and skills through comprehensive training
Home Study Process - Work with your licensing coordinator to complete your state's foster licensure requirements
Licensing - Receive your foster care license
Welcome Your First Child or Youth - Start positively impacting lives through fostering
Throughout this process, our team provides personalized guidance, answers your questions, and ensures you feel prepared and supported.
Benefits of Foster Parenting with NYAP
Besides the opportunity to positively impact the lives of children or youth, additional benefits include:
High-Quality Training- Meet regularly with your NYAP team of professionals
Comprehensive Support - Help from caring professionals is always available, including 24/7 crisis support
Convenient Licensing Process- We will work around your schedule and offer virtual and in-person opportunities
Monthly Stipend- For the care of children and youth living in your home
Ready to learn more?
Submit an inquiry form below, or call
1-877-692-7226
Together, we can change lives, one child, one youth, one family at a time.