What are the qualifications to be a foster/kinship parent or an adoptive parent?
Foster/Kinship parents and adoptive parents can be married or single, with or without children already in their families. We are looking for individuals, couples or families who can protect children and nurture them. Both foster/kinship parents and adoptive parents have to understand how children grow and develop, and how abuse and neglect affects that development. Foster/Kinship parents and adoptive parents need to respect that the children placed with them will have feelings about their birth families. The older the child, the more memories and attachments there will be. Foster/Kinship parents need to help children maintain contact with their birth families, not only because most children do return to their families, but also because it is important for their self-esteem and identity. Visits between children and their families are important. The Children’s Division will work with you to arrange these contacts. Foster/Kinship parents often build good relationships with the parents of
