Here is a list of frequently asked questions. For any additional inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Southern California Foster Family & Adoption Agency serves Los Angeles County for Foster Care.

Q:

No, you may live in a house or in an apartment as long as you have the necessary space to accommodate a child.

Q:

It usually takes about three months. This largely depends on how long it takes for you to submit your application and for your fingerprints to clear.

Q:

Yes, twenty-four hours of foster parent training are required for your initial certification.  An additional six hours are required during the first year for recertification and fifteen hours each year thereafter. The training is provided cost-free by our agency. You will also need to become CPR and First Aid certified.

Q:

Yes, you must show us that the vehicle you will be using to transport the children is large enough to accommodate your enlarged family and that it is insured and the person(s) who will be driving has a current license and a clean driving record.

Q:

Yes, our agency will assign a social worker, who will visit weekly for at least the first three months that a child is placed in your home and then reassess the need for weekly visits.  Two visits a month will always occur while the child is a foster child in your home.  The social worker will help you manage the needs of the child, and provide necessary assistance to you, the child, and when applicable, the birth family.

Q:

We have a 24-hour per day response system. Call our office, leave a message and someone will return your call within two hours.

Q:

The birth family has the right to see/contact the children under conditions set by the Children's Dependency Court. We can arrange visits here at our office or at a neutral location.

Q:

No, there are strict disciplinary guidelines. Among them are that no physical punishment, such as hitting, slapping, or shoving is permitted and no withholding of the necessities of life, e.g. food, clothing, are allowed.

Q:

Each child's situation is different and the Court makes the decisions.

Q:

Yes, foster parents receive a tax free, monthly reimbursement between $650 - $805 depending on the age of the child. The County issues a Medi-Cal card which allows for free medical and dental care, as well as some counseling services. A clothing grant is provided for children each year. A special fund for recreational and educational enrichment programs is provided by Southern California Foster Family and Adoption Agency.

The maximum number of children allowed in a home is six, including minor birth children.

Q:

Two children of the same sex may share a room. Exceptions are: 1) children of the opposite sex who are under the age of five; and 2) a teenage mother with her own child.

Yes, it is important that the age and sex of the children placed in your home fit in well with your family.

The orientation and training for foster care are offered free of charge.  Your costs will be limited to obtaining a criminal record clearance and becoming First Aid and CPR certified.  You will also be required to have a medical exam and TB test if you have not had one in the last six months.