How to Become a Foster Parent
What makes the Epworth Village, Inc. Foster Care program unique?
The Epworth Village, Inc. Foster Care program supports families in the Southeastern, Central and Northern Service Areas. We focus on families located within a 60 miles radius of York, NE. This area includes the following counties: Adams, Butler, Clay, Fillmore, Hamilton, Hall, Jefferson, Lancaster, Platte, Polk, Merrick, Nance, Saline, Seward, Thayer, and York.
Epworth Village, serves families and children who have experienced a crisis situation within their own home and need temporary assistance. Foster families provide security, consistency and love for children and work as part of a professional team to help heal families. They are supported through 24 hour assistance, initial training and on-going education, in home interventions, and parent support groups.
Foster families interested in joining Epworth Village, Inc.’s team can help families through short term relief care or longer term care until that family is able to reunite or another forever family is identified. Epworth Village, Inc. Foster Care program services include: Respite Care, Agency Supported Foster Care, and Foster to Adopt:
Respite Care: Short term parenting and caring for a child who comes from a foster home or from their family home. You don’t have to be a licensed foster family to provide this service but it is preferred. Opportunities exist to become an informal support for a child and their family.
Agency Supported Foster Care: Parenting and caring for a child longer term and working as part of a team to heal the child’s family. You have to be a licensed foster family to provide this service.
Foster to Adopt: This service is the same as Agency Supported Foster Care except that you are willing to commit to a child and provide them with a permanent forever family if they cannot be reunified with their family.
How do I become a foster parent?
First off you must feel that desire and calling to teach and serve others. Then call or submit an inquiry to Epworth Village, Inc. This starts the process! All applicants must be willing to complete at least 27 hours of pre-service foster parent training and meet the State of Nebraska’s and Epworth Village, Inc.’s regulations. The following are some basic criteria to meet:
- Be at least 21 years old.
- Can be single or married.
- Have good background checks and fingerprints results that demonstrate safe driving and lifestyle habits.
- Have adequate space to house a child. Nebraska requires 35 square feet per child in bedrooms used for foster children.
- Own a vehicle and telephone.
- Demonstrate a family-oriented lifestyle.
- Be flexible, responsible, stable, even-tempered, and patient with a good sense of humor.
- Be tolerant of racial, cultural, religious and educational backgrounds different from your own.
Where do I get more information?
Contact:
Hannah Miller
(402) 362-3353
hmiller@epworthvillage.org