FOSTER CARE PROGRAM
Placerville
3057 Briw Road,
Suite A
Placerville, CA
95667
Phone (530) 642-7100
South Lake Tahoe
3368 Lake Tahoe Blvd.,
Suite 100
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone (530) 573-3201
Licensing Program Manager
Jayle Goucher
(530) 642-4818
Who are Foster Children?
There are thousands of children in California's foster care systems that require temporary out-of-home care due to parental neglect, abuse or exploitation. Some children stay in foster care for weeks, some for years. The children are of all ages and varying needs. Some will need the temporary home to turn into a permanent home if they cannot be reunited with their birth families.
What is Foster Care?
Foster parents provide a supportive and stable environment for children who cannot live with their birth parents until family problems are resolved. Foster parents provide the basics, including food, clothing and protection. They arrange for medical and dental care, and education, and encourage positive relationships. In most cases, the foster parents work with Department of Social Services staff to reunite the child with his/her birth family. Foster parents often provide care to many different children.
How do I become a Foster Parent in El Dorado County?
A license is required to operate a foster home. To start the process, contact the El Dorado County Department of Human Services Foster Care Licensing Program (also known as the Foster Family Home Licensing Program) at (530) 642-7100.
- The process begins by attending a Foster Parent Orientation, held at the El Dorado County Human Services office at 3057 Briw Road, Placerville. Orientations in South Lake Tahoe are held as needed at a site to be determined.
- At the Orientation, you will receive a Foster Family Home Application packet to complete. Please be aware that once you sign the Home Application you have 90 days to complete the licensing process.
- El Dorado County requires you to attend the PRIDE series, 18 hour training program. The training is free and provided in collaboration with the Folsom Lake College Foster Kinship Care Education Program. PRIDE classes are held in South Lake Tahoe at Lake Tahoe Community College.
- You will need First Aid and CPR certification.
- You will be required to be fingerprintted for criminal record clearance.
- You will need a health screening report and TB test.
- A home visit by a licensing worker will be required to confirm the home meets Foster Care standards. Law mandates minimal personal, safety and space requirements.
Can I afford to do this?
Foster parents receive a monthly reimbursement. The rate is set by the State and approved by the county Board of Supervisors. The reimbursement provided monthly depends on the age and circumstances of the foster child. The money received is for food, clothing and maintenance of the foster child, and should not be considered as income for the foster family.
What if the child gets sick?
Medical and dental coverage are provided through the Medi-Cal program. Foster parents are responsible for making appointments and transporting the foster child to and from the appointment.
Do I have to be married?
Foster parents may be married or single.
Are there age limits?
Foster parents must be 21 years of age or older. Age requirements are flexible as long as your health and energy are appropriate. People who are retired can make wonderful foster parents.
Who will work with me to ensure the best plan for the child?
Human Services staff work with foster parents to determine the type of child best suited for your home and to develop the case plan for the child's care during the time he/she will be there.
Will I need special training?
Yes. In order to be licensed and placement ready, you must complete PRIDE training and become certified in first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Each year, you will also be required to complete eight additional hours of training in parenting skills. West Slope Area Training is sponsored by Folsom Lake College and the County of El Dorado Human Services Department. South Lake Tahoe Area Training is sponsored by Lake Tahoe Community College.
What are the PRIDE classes and how will they help me with my goal to become a foster parent?
PRIDE stands for: Parent's Resource for Information Development and Education
PRIDE is a standardized model for the development and support of resource families. It is designed to strengthen the quality of family foster and adoptive parenting by providing a structured framework to recruit, prepare, and educate foster and adoptive parents. The PRIDE format is generally very informative and helpful to even the most seasoned parents in preparing to care for children not born to them and those coming to their family after adverse circumstances.
PRIDE's Goals are to Help:
- Meet the protective, developmental, cultural and permanency needs of children placed with foster and adoptive families.
- Strengthen families, whether they are families of origin, blended families, extended or kinship families, foster families, adoptive families, or tribal members.
- Strengthen the quality of family foster parenting and adoption services by providing a standardized, structured framework for pre-service training and mutual assessment.
WEST SLOPE FOSTER/KINSHIP CARE MEETINGS AND CLASSES
Foster Parent Orientation
An orientation meeting for new and prospective foster parents is held the last Monday of each month from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Human Services, 3057 Briw Road in Placerville. Registration is required. Please contact Debra Brown at (530) 642-7122.
Monthly Foster Parent Meeting & Training
Monthly meetings are held for foster parents on the third Thursday of each month from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Human Services, 3057 Briw Road in Placerville. The second half of the meeting offers a training for foster parents that helps them meet their annual training requirement hours. The training is free. (Please note that meetings are generally not held in May, July, August, and December).
Folsom Lake College Foster and Kinship Care Education presents PRIDE - Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education. These free training sessions are held at Folsom Lake College at El Dorado Center in Placerville. Please call Juline at (530) 642-5659 to reserve your spot for the entire series or a specific session. Additional support can be found through Foster Parent Support Group meetings. Please contact Bonnie McLane at (530) 333-1482.
CPR/First Aid Training
Foster parents must keep their CPR and First Aid training certification up to date. This is mandated by law. Folsom Lake College offers CPR/First Aid training for foster parents. There is a fee associated with the training. For certification and recertification of CPR/First Aid, please call Juline Aguilar at (530) 642-5659 and leave your name and phone number. You will be added to the waiting list and contacted when the class is available. (A date will be chosen when there is a minimum number of participants).
RESOURCE LINKS:
West Slope Area Training
South Lake Tahoe Area Training
National Foster Parent Association
National Foster Care Coalition
Foster Club for Grownups
Foster Family Homes - Manual of Policies and Procedures (English)
Title 22, Division 6, Chapter 9.5
Foster Family Homes - Manual of Policies and Procedures (Spanish)
Title 22, Division 6, Chapter 9.5