Social Services
Contact This Department  
Social Services
Will Wakefield, Director
828-426-8200
2345 Morganton Blvd., SW, Suite A, Lenoir, NC 28645
You can send us a quick message here:
Department Menu

Adoption/Foster Parenting

ADOPTION

Adoption is the method provided by law to establish the legal relationship of parent and child between persons who are not so related by birth, with the same mutual rights and obligations that exist between children and their birth parent. The primary purpose of adoption through our agency is to help children whose parents are incapable of assuming or continuing parental responsibilities to become part of a new family.

Eligibility:

  • Children who are separated from or being cared for away from their families; 
  • Families who want children who are separated from or being cared for away from their families; 

Criteria for Families who want to Adopt:

  • Age 21 and over with a drug-free stable home and income
  • Willing to be fingerprinted and have criminal record check
  • Complete all required training and be licensed by the State of North Carolina
  • Have physical examination (including TB test)
  • Submit to an environmental inspection of the home
  • Participate in an adoptive home study

Financial Guidelines:

  • There are no fees for a family who wishes to adopt a child that has been in DSS custody.
  • A one-time fee (contact DSS for details) is charged by DSS to complete relative or step-parent adoptions.
  • A one-time fee (contact DSS for details) is charged by DSS to complete “independent” adoptions (when the birth family chooses to release their child to someone other than relatives).

Special Information:

  • Families who adopt children that have been in DSS custody may be eligible for Adoption Assistance Benefits, when needed.

 

FOSTER PARENTING

For more information about becoming a Foster Parent, email or call 828-426-8281.

What does it mean to be a foster parent?

Foster parents provide temporary care for children until they can be successfully reunited with their birth parents.  They work with children who have been removed from their birth families because of abuse and neglect. The foster family, DSS and the birth family work together to return children to their own home as soon as possible.  Foster parents participate in Shared Parenting with birth parents and meet with them to support reunification.

Foster parenting is emotionally demanding parenting, but very rewarding if you can be flexible, patient and work well with others.

Buncombe County DSS has created a wonderful foster parent recruitment video featuring country music singer, Jimmy Wayne.  They have graciously approved the video to be used by all NC foster care agencies for foster parent recruitment. You may access this video by clicking on the link below.

Jimmy Wayne Video

How do I become a foster parent?

Our agency is continually looking for good, nurturing families to provide temporary care for children in foster care.  We are especially interested in recruiting homes for teenagers, teenage mothers and their babies, and sibling groups.  A good foster parent is someone who copes well with change, works well with teams, has patience for imperfect behavior and can give without expecting immediate rewards.

1.  The first step to become a licensed foster parent is to complete the on-line orientation for prospective foster parents.  The NC Division of Social Services has launched a new resource to support foster parent recruitment and training. In partnership with the Jordan Institute for Families at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work, the NC Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, and representatives from public and private agencies, the Division has developed an online orientation that sends a helpful, consistent, and inspiring message to families considering providing therapeutic or family foster care.

This orientation is:

Brief. This 15-minute course shares basic information about foster care, describes the children in need of foster homes, introduces the foster home licensing process in North Carolina, and connects families with potential supervising agencies. The orientation can be found by clicking the link below.

15-minute course


Accessible. To take the online orientation your computer must have: (1) external speakers or headphones; (2) broadband Internet access; (3) the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.


Interactive and Fun. The orientation uses short video clips, handouts, web links, and activities that engage people in what is being taught. At the end, learners are asked to print out a certificate of completion to share with the supervising agency they select.


Required. If prospective foster parents haven’t already completed the orientation before attending class, they will be asked to complete the orientation on a computer at our agency. Your certificate of completion will be placed in your training record.

2.  Contact our Foster Home Licensing Social Worker Valerie Ackerman at (828) 426-8281 or email. She will be willing to answer any questions about how to become a foster parent and mail you an information packet and application.

 3.  An initial home visit will be scheduled at your family’s convenience to discuss any further questions that you may have and to help you get started on the process.

Caldwell County DSS is now offering the TIPS-MAPP curriculum, which stands for Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety – Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting.  The TIPS-MAPP focuses the necessary skills to prepare families to become a foster family.  The classes are a requirement to become a foster/adoptive parent and are being offered free of charge.  Each class will be held at the Caldwell County Department of Social Services (Health and Human Services Building) in Lenoir. There are 30 hours of training involved in each series of foster parent (TIPS-MAPP) classes.         

 

The next TIPS-MAPP class for potential foster parents will begin in late January 2020.  Anyone interested may contact Valerie Ackerman email or Susan Barnett email.

 

 
What are some of the requirements to become a foster parent
  • Potential foster parents must complete an application form and a Mutual Home Assessment.
  • The family’s home must receive and pass a fire and safety inspection from the Fire Marshal and meet building code.
  • The family’s home must receive and pass an environmental safety check that is conducted by the agency. If the family has well water, they must receive and pass a water inspection by Environmental Health.
  • All family members must have a physical examination and adults in the family must have a TB skin test.
  • All adult family members 18 years and older must be finger-printed in order for criminal records checks to be conducted locally, through the SBI and through the FBI.
  • If potential foster parents are a married couple, they must have been married for at least one year. Single applicants can also be licensed as foster parents.
  • To be licensed, foster parents must be at least 21 years old. All adult members of the household must attend training and complete all licensure requirements.
  • Foster families need to have adequate income to financially support their own family without relying on the foster child’s board payment, as the board payment is designed to cover the essentials of room and board for the foster child.
  • The foster home must have a working telephone which functions without use of electrical power.
  • The foster family must have access to transportation and be willing and able to provide necessary transportation to meet the needs of the foster child.
  • The foster home must provide each child with his/her own bedroom space.
  • The foster home must be a drug-free, domestic violence-free environment and not be receiving any Child Protective Services from the agency.

The foster family must be willing to conduct Shared Parenting meetings with the child’s birth parents and/or other relatives.  Foster Parent and State Trainer Donna Foster defines shared parenting in the context of foster care and explains how this practice benefits children and facilitates family reunification.  Click on the link below to watch her video.  Donna Foster describes how to overcome some of the common barriers foster parents experience when trying to engage in shared parenting with birth parents.

Donna Foster Video

  • The final step is staffing the family’s Mutual Home Assessment and presenting their Welcome Book to the agency.   When approved, their initial licensing packet is then mailed to the State office for review and licensure.

Special Information

A foster home license is good for two years.  Ongoing training and support is offered through scheduled in-service trainings, home visits and child and family team meetings.  If the family remains in good standing with the Agency, their license can be renewed if they have completed their training requirements.

You may click here to download the Foster/Adoptive Parent application in a PDF format.

Foster Parent Application

 

Does being a licensed foster parent in NC mean I'm approved to adopt?
Who is who in NC’s foster care program?
How does court work for foster parents in NC?
Where can I get the training credit I need for relicensure?

You can find answers to these and other questions commonly asked by resource parents on FosteringNC.org's Frequently Asked Questions page. Check it out!