Foster Care
Support Your Community In Being A Foster Parent
Be the difference in a family's life.
In Nebraska alone, more than 6,000 children are in the foster care system.
Children in foster care need safe and loving care until they can rejoin their family, as well as the support that comes from a caring parent. As a foster parent, you can make an immeasurable impact in the lives of these families, helping them thrive during a particularly difficult time.
We Help You With:
- 24/7 One-On-One Support
- Assigned Dedicated Foster Care Specialist
- Support Groups
- Pre-Service Training
- Ongoing Training
- Access To Community Resources
- Financial Reimbursement
Helping You Plan And Prepare
The road to becoming a foster parent takes time, patience, and preparation. At NCHS, we work to ensure you and your family feel well-educated and supported along every step of the journey, so you can be confident that when you consider becoming a foster parent, you are ready to help make a positive impact in a family’s life.
Steps To Becoming A Foster Family
Supporting you at every stage
NCHS’s foster care team is ready to help you in your foster care journey. At every step of the process, you can count on us to support you and connect you to the resources you need to succeed. For more information on how to get started and the steps you need to take, reach out to our foster care team.
An Emphasis On Mutual Selection
A truly collaborative process
The foster care process requires education, trust, and collaboration at every stage in the process. NCHS acts as a mediator, connecting potential foster parents and parents with their children in foster care. Once you’ve met, we can work together to see if you mutually select each other as a match. At NCHS, we believe it is integral for all parties to be involved in the process.
Foster Care FAQ
- Foster parents need to be at least 21 years of age.
- Foster parents complete background checks with local, state, and national law enforcement, Adult Protective Services, Child Protection Services, Department of Motor Vehicle, and Sex Offender Registry.
- Foster parents complete the TIPS-MAPP Foster Parent Training Class which is 12 weeks. Classes are taught in Omaha.
- Foster parents must complete an in-depth family assessment with our agency.
- Foster parents must show financial stability and cannot be receiving financial assistance.
Foster Care is meant to be temporary for children until they can reunify with their families. The primary goal of foster care is reunification. Depending on the specific situation, a child may be with a foster family for a few days, several months or possibly years.
The primary goal of foster care is reunification. However, if the child is unable to reunify with their family, then adopting through foster care is possible.
Individuals can be homeowners or renters. There are times that children can share a room with other children however each bedroom/sleeping arrangement is based on a child’s individual needs. (This can include age, gender, etc)
There are some things in a person’s criminal history that can make them ineligible to apply to be a foster parent. Being transparent with NCHS at inquiry can help us determine if your family would be eligible.
There is no cost to complete the TIPS-MAPP training course. However, families must show financial stability to ensure it would not be a financial hardship to have a child join your home.
It is important that families are flexible, prepared, and willing to parent a variety of children, as each child’s needs are unique. Some things that are taken into consideration are what skills and abilities do families have to match a child’s needs- ex. Location of school, families with experience parenting a child with medical needs, etc.
We Will Support You In This Journey
Explore the possibility
Our foster care team is well-equipped with the information and strategies you need to explore options on becoming a foster care parent. Together, we can ensure you have access to the resources and support you need to provide safe and loving care for every child and their family.
What’s Next?
Get in touch with our team
Are you ready to find out more about becoming a foster care parent, or sign up for one of our courses? Just pick up the phone and give us a quick call.
Prefer to email? No problem! Fill out this form. No matter how you choose to reach out, one of our specialists will respond within 24 hours.
Give Us A Call: 402.659.9996
Foster Care Resources
Learn more about foster care
You have the chance to make a big difference in a family’s life. Let us connect you to the resources available to help you explore options on this journey.
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You Are Not Alone
NCHS Foster Care Programs have helped over 3,000 families get the resources, support, assistance, and care they need.