Become a Foster Parent

			Open your heart and your home to a child during a time of crisis and change. As a foster parent, you will guide and support your foster child every day. By your actions, you can help a child cope with the challenges that life brings. Foster care is temporary care for children who are unable to live with their birth families.

			The Close to Home Foster Care Program is licensed by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and is comprised of three different levels of care.

			The program provides positive, structured experiences in a safe and nurturing family environment for children and adolescents who have significant social, emotional, behavioral and/or physical problems. The specialized and therapeutic levels provide intensive, family-based, individualized treatment programs designed to modify behaviors, causes, and conditions for children who might otherwise be placed in an institutional setting due to their high level of needs and severe behaviors.

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			Who is a foster parent? A foster parent is someone who can provide temporary care and love for children who are unable to live with their birth family. A foster parent should be someone who - Wants to make a difference in a child's life - Is flexible and capable of handling stressful situations - Can be a working or stay-at-home parent - Can work as a member of a team with families, social workers and other professionals - Can help prepare a child for return to their birth family or to be adopted - May become an adoptive parent

			Who can become a foster parent? You can apply to become a foster parent if you: - Are at least 21 years old - Are married, single, or living with a partner - Have sufficient income to meet your own family's needs - Are in good health - Can make room in your home and heart for children who need safe, temporary care

			Who are the children in care? Children in foster care represent all ethnic groups and may be infants through teenagers. Some children may have handicapped conditions, behavioral challenges, and need special care. When brothers and sisters come into care, we want to place them together. Teenage mothers also need homes for themselves and their children. Children in foster care, like all children, need love, affection, and guidance.

			How can I become a foster parent? - Attend an orientation session - Complete an application - Provide personal references and current medical reports - Attend our pre-certification training classes - Participate in a home study

			For information on becoming a foster parent, contact the Director at 607-772-6904 ext. 134 or e-mail info@chowc.org.