Change Lives...Be a Foster Parent
Why Become a
Foster Parent?
Foster parents help, teach, and heal children and families within their communities. They touch the human heart and can change lives forever. Foster parents give children the environment needed so they can just be kids.
What makes Epworth Village Foster Care program unique? At Epworth Village, our focus is on you! Foster parents provide security, consistency and love for children. They partner with our professional team to help repair lives, supported by trained Foster Care Specialists who provide:
- Initial Training
- Ongoing Education
- In-Home Interventions
- Parent Support Groups
- 24-Hour Assistance
The Epworth Village, Inc. Foster Care program supports families in the Northern, Southeastern, and Central Service Areas. We focus on foster parents located within about a 60 miles radius of York, Nebraska.
Foster parents interested in joining Epworth Village Foster Care’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 Foster Care program services include: Agency Supported Foster Care, Foster to Adopt, and Respite Care:
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Agency Supported Foster Care: Teaching and meeting the needs of children and youth while working in partnership to heal the child’s family. You have to become a licensed foster parent to provide this service.
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Foster to Adopt: When there is a possibility that foster children and youth may be available for adoption, the foster parent accepts the children and youth on a temporary foster care basis, but will adopt if they become legally free for adoption. Though Epworth Village is not an adoption agency, we will refer our foster parents to the appropriate adoption agency to facilitate and supervise the adoption process from the foster care system.
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Respite Care: Providing temporary, short term relief for foster children and youth. You don’t have to be a licensed foster parent to provide this service but it is preferred. Must be able to demonstrate through background checks a responsible lifestyle.
How do I become a licensed foster parent?
If you feel the desire and calling to teach and serve others, consider becoming a foster parent.
Call or submit an inquiry to Epworth Village Foster Care. This starts the process! All applicants must go through background checks, be willing to complete pre-service foster parent training, and be willing to do a home visit and study. According to Epworth Village and the State of Nebraska, the following outlines some basic criteria that must be met:
- Be at least age 19.
- Can be single, married, co-habitating, or same-sex couple.
- Have good background checks and fingerprints results that demonstrate safe driving and lifestyle habits.
- Have adequate space to house a child.
- Have access to a vehicle.
- Be accessible by 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:
Garrett Schwarz
Foster Care / In-Home & Safety Services Program Manager
(402) 362-3353
fostercare@epworthvillage.org
Download Foster/Respite Care Application »
Foster Care Needed Items:
- New or gently-used clothing - boys and girls, all ages
- New socks and underwear - boys and girls, all ages
- Pack-n-Play portable cribs
- Bunk beds with mattresses
- Wal-Mart gift cards to provide basic items for children in crisis situations
- Toothbrushes/toothpaste
- Deoderant - boys and girls
- Hair brushes
- Hair spray & gel
- Hair ties for girls