Homes of Hope Launches Foster & Adoptive Parent Support Group!

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Homes of Hope

Place of Hope, in partnership with Child & Family Connections, mobilizes the faith community to support hurting children and families throughout the region. There is a collaborative effort between Place of Hope, Child and Family Connections, Christ Fellowship Church, various other churches, organizations, and community stakeholders. The primary goal of the initiative is to provide support to the local child welfare community by recruiting local churches and people of faith as partners to:

1. Recruit, train, and retain potential foster and adoptive families;
2. Provide material, emotional, and spiritual support to those families and their children; and
3. Involve the community of faith in the overall system of care for our neediest children.

Want to open your home to children in need?

Traditional Foster Care and Adoption Program

We are so excited that you are interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent. We believe that you will quickly realize that the children in the child welfare system are just like any others, wanting a place to call home. Your personal journey towards becoming a licensed foster or adoptive parent is unique. Some people want to complete the process quickly while others proceed slowly, finishing each requirement one at a time. Regardless of the details of your journey, we know you will find yourself so grateful to have the opportunity to deeply influence the life of a child.

Our team at Place of Hope is deeply committed to supporting you from your initial inquiry all the way through raising foster or adoptive children in your home. We understand that the process is lengthy and laden with paperwork, but assure you that it is all worth it. Throughout it all, you can be assured that you will never be alone.

We have been praying for God to provide people just like you.

STEPS TO LICENSING:

1. Orientation - To better answer any preliminary questions, we ask that you sign up for and attend one of our orientations. This brief meeting will give you all the information you need to be certain that you want to proceed with the licensing process. We know that being a foster or adoptive parent is not for everyone; it is a very specific calling from God. The decision is not to be made lightly, so we encourage you to ask as many questions as you can before you begin.
2. MAPP Class - Every prospective foster parent must complete the Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting class. This 30-hour class is offered in a variety of formats to accommodate different schedules. In this class, you will not only gain the tools necessary to successfully parent a foster or adoptive child, but you will also get to know and interact with our staff in the process.
3. Homework and Profiles - At the beginning of the MAPP Class, you will receive a packet containing homework and your family profile. Your trainer will make sure that you successfully complete all of the paperwork. At the completion of the class, you will receive a MAPP certificate.
4. Home Visits - After you begin the MAPP classes, our staff will complete two one-hour home visits with you. The initial meeting will give us an opportunity to go over your licensing packet and answer any questions that you might have. You do not need to be prepared to accept a child at this time, as we will thoroughly explain how to get your home ready and what changes might need to be made. If you are married, we ask that your spouse attend this meeting as well. The second home visit will be scheduled after we have all of your paperwork and screenings and are ready to finalize your home study for submission. This will be another opportunity for you to clear up any remaining questions about the process of licensing. At this visit, it is important that all household members are in attendance.
5. Paperwork, Screenings and Inspection - At the initial home visit, you will receive a licensing packet that contains most of the paperwork that must be completed to continue the process. We will be here if you have questions along the way. After the initial meeting, we will request an inspection of your home as well as local, county, state and national background screenings for you and your family. When all of these items are completed, we will return for our second home visit to have you sign the final paperwork and sign off on the narrative home study we have written on your family. Your file will then be submitted to DCF for approval after which you will receive your Foster Parent or Adoptive Parent License.

To learn more or to sign up, please contact: Joshua Kolkana, Director at 561.775.7195 x.22 or joshk@placeofhope.com.

If you are interested in learning about the children who are available now for adoption, please visit www.fladopt.org.