What should I know?

•  Be at least 21 years of age (single or married).
• Show proof of marriage and/or divorce (if applicable).
• Be in good mental and physical health.
• Have dependable transportation.
• Have a stable income to support your family and household.
• Pass a fire and health inspection.
• Have a high school diploma, a GED, or be able to pass a competency test to demonstrate basic skills necessary for parenting.
• Have no criminal record or history of abusing a child.
• Have enough childcare or life experience to provide sufficient background to become an effective foster parent.

You must also:

• Thoroughly complete the application and required documents.
• Complete required hours of foster parent training.
• Agree to a home study which includes visits with all household members.
• Allow staff to complete a criminal history background check, an abuse/neglect check on all adults in the household, and agree to a nonphysical discipline policy.
• Agree to abide by the State of Texas and Cherished Impressions CPA’s standards, policies, practices and procedure.

Our series of training strengthens the knowledge and confidence of prospective foster parents to competently care for children. We offer a 35-hour competency-based training (in person and online) program that is co-trained by an agency staff member and a foster or adoptive parent. We provide prospective foster families with a base knowledge of information on caring for children in the child welfare system. We cover topics such as child attachment, loss and grief, trauma, discipline and behavior intervention, effects of abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, medication, working with the child welfare system, normalcy, and the effects of fostering and adopting on the family.

Online Agency and DFPS trainings or certifications:

• Normalcy Training
• Medical Consenter Training
• Ongoing & Trauma Training 
• Trauma- Informed Care Training 
• Abuse and Neglect 
• Cultural Competency
• Human Trafficking
• Transportation Training 
• Psychotropic Medication Training 
• Suicide Prevention Training 
• Cybersecurity Training
• Texas Health Step Materials
• PAPH Certification
• Infant/Child/Adult CPR Certification 
• Recognizing & Reporting Child Sexual Abuse
• Runaway Prevention Training
• TB Shots for every household member 2yo+