Would you like more information about foster parenting?
Fill out our Foster Parent interest form.
When you decide to become a foster parent, the MOST IMPORTANT decision you will make is which agency to work with.
Stanford Home gives foster parents the complete support they need to successfully care for children who desperately need safe, loving families to call their own in the greater Sacramento-area.
"I looked at six other agencies first, but Stanford Home offers unwavering support around the clock."
– Stanford Home foster parent
When you become a foster parent at Stanford Home, you are supported through multiple layers of staff and resources, including:
- On-call support, 24 hours a day/seven days a week
- A social worker with lower caseloads than other agencies
- Free training
- Multiple services in one location
- Foster family support groups and monthly newsletters
- Foster Parent Advisory Committee
- Connections to community resources
- Competitive rates
- Respite Program
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Make a Difference?
Right now, there are abused and neglected children in Sacramento without a place to live, and not enough competent and compassionate foster parents to care for these children. Become a foster parent with Stanford Home to be part of the solution.
What is Intensive Treatment Foster Care?
Sometimes the children most in need of a caring home have the hardest time finding one. Of the 4,000 children in foster care in Sacramento County, 1,000 of these youth have complex needs, requiring more support than standard foster care. Stanford Home’s Intensive Treatment Foster Care pairs experienced foster parents with these youth who otherwise would not have an opportunity to live with a safe, loving family. Foster parents receive additional training, staff support and financial support to help care for these youth.
What are the basic requirements to become a foster parent?
You can become a foster parent if you are:
- Deeply committed to giving a child a home, time and attention
- Patient, flexible and willing to learn
- Over age 25 and healthy (no upper age limit)
- Single, married or in domestic partnership
- Receiving a steady income
- Living in an apartment, condo or house with room for a child
- A licensed driver, with a car and insurance
Why should I choose Stanford Home?
Experienced foster parents really appreciate Stanford Home. Stanford Home provides foster parents with 24/7 support, accessible staff, competitive rates, support groups and mental health services for the foster youth. As a local Sacramento nonprofit, Stanford Home is responsive to the needs of our foster parents and is the leader in providing care to children and families, in their homes and within their own communities.
How long does it take to become a foster parent?
Most families are certified within three months. Foster family certification can be completed more quickly depending on individual family circumstances. Stanford Home openly negotiates rollovers from other agencies.
What is Stanford Home’s specialty area or area of expertise?
Stanford Home for Children specializes in providing foster care for our community’s most vulnerable youth - those who have experienced acute trauma, separation from loved ones and other losses. This specialty is called Intensive Treatment Foster Care. Through comprehensive support and one-on-one attention, these foster youth are given the opportunity to succeed in a family home. With the guidance of experienced foster parents, they learn how to become productive members of a family, and they will use these skills for the rest of their lives.
How can I get more information about becoming a foster parent at Stanford Home?
Fill out our Foster Parent Interest Form or call (916) 344-0199 and we will be happy to answer your questions.