RESIDENTIAL AND FOSTER CARE

To be an eligible foster family, there are a few baseline requirements we look for in a couple.

• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.
• Applicants must be in a stable marriage relationship.
• Finally, we ask that families count the cost of foster care and display the ability to care for the child’s needs without relying solely on government financial assistance.

After filling out an application we will ask you for additional information – our desire is help you discern your fit in this ministry!

The pathway to becoming a foster family can seem mysterious and drawn out, but you can think of foster care at Southern Christian as having three basic steps.

1. The first step is filling out an application and submitting it to our foster care team.
2. Next, the team will conduct a SAFE Home Study to get to know more about you and your desire to be a foster family.
3. After completing the Home Study, families receive resource training using PRIDE materials to prepare them for their mission.

If you would like to know more about the steps to becoming a foster family, click here.

The process of the Home Study and PRIDE training is flexible to the schedule and availability of our potential families. However, a good estimate is anywhere from six to nine weeks. After completing training, your home will be considered “open”, and will begin to be considered for children.

A support family is most often a member of a local congregation who has it on their hearts to be a part of the ministry of foster care. Their role, however, is to support those families who are fostering children in whatever way they can: whether it means being dedicated to prayer for that family, providing meals or transportation, or even offering babysitting and respite support.

First, we hope you are able to consider the needs of any foster families you know in your own community or congregation – ask and see if you can find out what needs the families that you know have as they work in this important mission field. Using our support family application, Southern Christian will connect you with a foster family in your area to come along side. If you wish to be considered for giving respite care support, we ask that you indicate your desire to do so on your application.

There are many ways that a support family can enrich the care provided by foster families. Some of the most common ways are to act as a mentor for specific children: to be that special friend in the life of a child. At other times, fulfilling the needs of the family can be a vital support: mowing the lawn while the family is at court, providing transportation for appointments, or making freezer meals to free time for a family to invest deeply in their children. Because of the variety of needs, Southern Christian encourages you to contact our foster care team and to be available to the families in your community!