Foster Care FAQ

Colorado is committed to inclusion. There are no restrictions on who can foster based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or marital status. Adoptive and foster parents must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check, complete training and receive a home study. Foster parents must be able to use sound judgment like a prudent parent and demonstrate a responsible, stable and emotionally mature lifestyle.

  • You can be single, married or have a domestic partner
  • You can own or rent a home, condo or apartment of any size, but you must have room for a child.
  • You can work inside or outside the home. Couples with both partners working outside the home are also eligible to be foster parents.
  • You must be at least 21 years of age.
  • You must have sufficient income to support your family.
  • You must be able to physically care for a child or youth.
  • You must pass child abuse and criminal background checks required by state and federal laws.
  • You must be able to work with a treatment team and be willing to go to ongoing training.
  • Intense home study (several visits in home, interviews with everyone living in home, discussion about history, beliefs, child rearing and more)

It depends. The applicant must complete State application, medical forms, background checks, pre-certification training hours, an approved home study and more. Only after all these steps are completed will they receive foster home certificate.

The home study process is a tool to help evaluate strengths, weaknesses and preferences. When staff calls with possible placement we encourage you ask questions about the fit for your home. We will provide the information we have to help you make this decision

Foster parent are paid a monthly stipend to offset the cost of providing care for the child. The rate varies depending the age of the child and level of care required. Foster children are covered under Medicaid for medical and dental care.

You are encouraged to include the foster children in your family’s activities. You will need to notify your case manager and get applicable permissions

Foster parents receive a monthly stipend to offset the costs of providing food, shelter, clothing and other related expenses. The rate varies and may depend upon the age of the child and their level of care they need. The foster parent is not expected to pay for medical or dental care.

A child or youth may be in foster care for one night, several months or, in some cases, several years. Every effort is made to reunify children with their parents. The time spent in foster care is dependent upon each parent’s situation and their ability to engage in services to keep the children or youth safe so that they can be reunited.

Children may leave foster care to live with a relative or another adult with whom they have a significant relationship. This is referred to as kinship care.

We encourage contact between foster parents and birth parents based upon the treatment team’s recommendation. Contact with the birth family may ease anxiety and reduce loyalty issues for children in foster care.

Adoption FAQ

First step is to schedule a meeting to start the application process, talk to others who have adopted, and start preparing your home.

Once you are certified, are chosen by the birth parents, and have the child in your home, the child is required to be in your home for six months to ensure attachment, development and well-being. After six months your adoption attorney will begin adoption proceedings.

At Ariel, we work hard to keep our costs extremely competitive. Our goal is to make families. The basic expenses include up-front payment for the home study and licensing. Additional costs are incurred after the birth mom has chosen your family. Please make an appointment with us to discuss this option and learn more about the costs to determine whether this is the right decision for you.

Children in foster care are placed with the intention that their stay in foster care will be temporary. The goal is always that children can safely return to their birth parents or birth relatives when possible. In many cases however children do not have a safe alternative in their birth family and that is when the adoption from foster care can happen. The process to adopt from foster care must be carefully considered with the long- term well- being of the child always in the forefront. It can be very tenuous at times for the foster parents and the process requires patience and the ability to accept that a child you love may go to another birth family member if one is found. It can be very heart wrenching but so heartwarming if you can become the forever family to a child in need. It’s an incredible gift.

This issue is not addressed under Colorado law. This means that any agreement about open adoption in Colorado is based only on a promise, and will not be enforced by a court. CRS 19-5-208(4.5)

Child Welfare Information Gateway is a great resource for foster care and adoption