Become a Foster Family
Children in Pennsylvania are looking for loving homes. COBYS’ process to become a foster family is designed to educate and empower families to provide the best care possible for children in foster care.
Criteria to Become a Foster Parent
- Be at least 21 years of age.
- If two people are presenting as parental figures in the home, they must be married to each other for at least one year.
- If an applicant is divorced, widowed, or legally separated, a minimum of one year must have passed prior to applying.
- Be able to provide transportation for foster children to appointments and visits.
- Be able to meet the physical, emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs of foster children.
- Practice positive parenting skills and pledge not to use corporal punishment.
- Be willing to establish positive relationships with foster children’s birth parents.
- Be willing to communicate openly with COBYS staff on all matters impacting a foster child's well-being.
- Live within one-hour driving distance to COBYS’ Murry Hill Center in Lancaster County.
COBYS' Process to Become a Foster Family
Request an Inquiry Packet to learn more about foster care and adoption.
Attend a virtual Information Session for potential resource families.
Submit an application including personal background information.
Complete Pre-Service Training, which includes online and in-person participation.
Have all household members complete medical appraisals.
Obtain criminal background checks (including State Police, ChildLine, and FBI clearances) and other required documents to ensure the safety of children in the home.
Complete family history paperwork and interviews, and follow through on any recommendations.
Pass a home safety inspection.
Specify preferences for age, gender, race, and behavioral, emotional, and/or medical needs of children you are able to care for.
What Is an Information Session?
The COBYS Information Session is a virtual meeting with our foster care staff. It includes an introduction to the foster care system and the children and families involved, as well as information about the roles, responsibilities, and expectations for foster families. The session also outlines the approval process to become a foster family and provides a chance for you to ask questions.
As this meeting is designed to help families decide if foster care is a good fit for them, married couples should attend together. Children are not permitted to attend due to the sensitive nature of some content, and childcare is not provided. Following the Information Session, attendees are eligible to submit the application form to pursue becoming a resource family.
What Is Pre-Service Training?
Pre-Service Training is the training process for families to be approved as a foster or foster-to-adopt family. It includes videos, classroom instruction, activities, and in-person interviews with COBYS staff.
Upon COBYS’ receipt of a Resource Family Application, a resource home specialist will contact you to schedule this required training, which is offered at our Murry Hill Center. Children are not permitted to attend due to the sensitive nature of some content, and childcare is not provided.
Pre-Service Training addresses the following topics:
Laws, regulations, and procedures of foster care and adoption
Expectations and motivations of foster families
Attachment, trauma, and discipline during Introduction to Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)
Impact of foster care and adoption on foster families
Abuse and neglect
Grief and loss
Childhood mental health
Diversity
Birth families
Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standards
Supporting resident children
CPR / first aid
Is It Your Time to Foster?
Take the First Step.
If you’re considering becoming a foster family, request more information or sign up for a free Information Session with COBYS.
