Foster care is the temporary placement of children who cannot be with their parents safely. The goal is to eventually reunify the children with their birth family after issues are resolved at home. Adoption is the legal, permanent placement of a child when they cannot be reunited with their birth parents and the birth parents’ parental rights are terminated.

A foster child is one whose birth parents are physically or emotionally unable to provide for their child’s needs. Foster children may have been abused, neglected or abandoned, and they have often experienced physical, emotional or social deprivation and traumatic events. Children needing foster care are of all races and range in age from birth to 18 years.

To qualify as a foster parent, individuals must be at least 18 years old; emotionally, physically and financially stable; and able to meet the needs of the child or children in their care. There is no minimum income or education requirement. Oakland Family Services also licenses relative caregivers who provide kinship care for children in foster care.

A foster parent cannot have had children previously removed from his or her care due to a children's protective services investigation and court order. Foster parents must be willing to work with the agency to complete a home study assessment, as well as other background clearances and training. If you are interested in becoming a licensed foster parent, you will need to complete an orientation, submit an application and be fingerprinted. You will then begin working with a licensing worker to complete the remained of the licensing process and home study assessment.

Yes! Oakland Family Services welcomes all kinds of families and does not discriminate based on race, religion, marital status, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

No. Foster parents can rent or own their residence, whether that is a house, apartment or mobile home.

A foster parent is part of a team that works together to best meet the physical and emotional needs of a foster child. This team includes the child’s birth family, agency staff and other professionals, such as lawyers and special advocates. Foster parents provide for food, clothing, shelter, medical care and transportation for a child, as well as appropriate life experiences and fun activities. They advocate on behalf of the child for their medical, mental health, emotional and educational needs. Foster parents also model and teach appropriate behaviors and coping skills and help the child transition to their birth or adoptive family.

1. Attend a foster care orientation through Oakland Family Services. To inquire about attending a foster care orientation, email our foster and adoptive home recruiter, Teresa Spong, at tspong@ofsfamily.org or call (248) 858-7766 ext. 1236.

2. Submit an application, complete a background check and submit fingerprint clearances.

3. Attend Parent Resource for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) training and other pre-service training (including CPR and first aid), which totals about 20 hours. Training is designed to help families understand the trauma foster children may have experienced, how to best manage children’s behavior and special needs, and the resources available to assist in meeting children’s needs.

4. Complete a home study, which is a thorough assessment of your home and all household members.

A home study is an assessment of your home and all household members that is the culmination of the entire licensing process, including orientation, fingerprint clearances, background clearances, pre-service training, two or more home visits during which all household members are interviewed, and other paperwork.

The State of Michigan and Oakland Family Services do not charge any fees for paperwork, home visits, assessments or home studies, or fingerprinting. There may be charges such as medical check-ups, retrieval of court or police documents, home improvements, etc. that prospective foster parents need to pay for out of pocket during the licensing process.

The State of Michigan reimburses foster parents a set monthly rate for each child placed in the home. While this rate does not necessarily reimburse foster parents for all costs, they receive anywhere from $400-600 per month, depending on the age and level of need of the child. Foster children have medical and dental insurance through the state, so foster parents do not need to add them to their insurance. The state offers a small yearly stipend for clothing, and there are also community resources to help with clothing and other special circumstances, such as prom dresses or graduation costs.

Being nurturing, loving, patient and having good communication skills are key attributes for a foster parent to have. Foster parents should understand the needs of the children in foster care and be team players.

A foster care placement can last anywhere from three to 24 months, or even longer.

Reunification is always the goal of foster care. It is important that foster parents form a bond with the child and invest in their future by providing a loving and nurturing home. We hear from many foster families that, although it is difficult when a child is reunified with their birth family, they also feel grateful to have been able to make a positive difference in the life of a child and to help a family come back together. Many times, joy and loss are felt at the same time. In some cases, foster parents and birth parents establish a positive working relationship, and the foster parents remain a support to the family, even after the child returns home.

We facilitate adoptions for children who are in foster care and are available for adoption due to parental rights being terminated. We do not have a direct placement adoption program, meaning we do not place children into adoptive homes from birth.

Through state ward adoption, we give prospective parents the ability to review children waiting for adoption in Michigan and across the United States for possible placement. We also process approved adoptions by relatives.

Our agency can also assist with interstate adoption, providing pre-placement assessment and placement services for families who identify children who are legally free for adoption and reside in another state. The agency can facilitate placement through the Interstate Compact, which oversees the placement of children into other states.

Most children waiting to be adopted in Michigan are age 5 to 17. There is an especially large number of teenagers waiting for permanent homes. Waiting children may also be part of a sibling group that needs to stay together or have physical, intellectual or emotional disabilities.

Click here to view all waiting children on the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange website.

State ward adoption is not expensive. Adoptive parents are responsible for paying for the new birth certificate and court filing fees, along with any other documents they may need to obtain prior to being approved as adoptive parents, such as birth, marriage, divorce, court and police records. Depending on the county, court filing fees can range from $230-$300 per child.

Absolutely! We work with families of all shapes and sizes and do not discriminate based on race, religion, marital status, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

To adopt through Oakland Family Services, you would first follow the steps listed above to become a licensed foster parent. During that process, you can opt to also be approved for adoption. In addition to the orientation, trainings, background check and home study required to open a foster home license, prospective adoptive parents must also complete an adoption orientation. To inquire about this process, please email our foster and adoptive home recruiter, Teresa Spong, at tspong@ofsfamily.org or call (248) 858-7766 ext. 1236.

A home study is an assessment of your home and all household members that is the culmination of the entire licensing process, including orientation, fingerprint clearances, background clearances, pre-service training, two or more home visits during which all household members are interviewed, and other paperwork.

The primary goal for children in foster care is to be eventually reunified with their birth parents. However, if it is not possible for a child to return home, the birth parents’ parental rights may be terminated and the child may become available for adoption.