The road to fostering can seem daunting at times. Yet, each step ensures that children from backgrounds of loss or trauma are placed in homes with well-informed, caring parents who have committed to providing a nurturing environment unique to the concerns of fostering. With this in mind, Live The Promise periodically offers educational and training events which can be found here.
While Promise686 seeks to help families begin fostering within the context of a church ministry, some families will desire to start fostering immediately, before their church has a Foster Care Ministry in place. These families may consider one of our agency partners (CPAs) listed below. We encourage you to watch the foster care events calendar on our Live The Promise events page for upcoming Foster Care Info Sessions occurring at various churches in the metro Atlanta area and around the state.
Steps to becoming a foster parent in the state of Georgia: (This is not a definitive list. Each state will have differing requirements.)
- Attend a Foster Care Info Session led by either DFCS or CPA
- Submit initial paperwork to DFCS or CPA
- Complete first home visit by DFCS or CPA
- Approved to move forward with IMPACT Training hosted by DFCS or CPA
- Attend an IMPACT Training
- Complete second home visit (could be during or just after IMPACT Training completion)
- Turn in all IMPACT Training paperwork to DFCS or CPA
- Complete third home visit
- Approved (licensure) by DFCS or CPA
- Receive first placement
Additional Requirements Before Approval:
- Infant/child/adult CPR & First Aid certification
- Up-to-date physicals for entire household
- Septic and water inspections
- Drug testing for household members age 18 and above
- All children in the home must have up-to-date vaccinations
- Pet information (if applicable)
Additional Requirements After Approval:
- Continuing Education Requirements – 15 hours or more per person annually
County DFCS Partner Offices (Specific links can be found at: dhs.georgia.gov)
- Bartow, Chatham, Clarke, Cobb, Colquitt, Columbia, Cowetta, Dawson, Douglas, Effingham, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Laurens, Lumpkin, Muscogee, Oconee, Richmond, Spalding, Troup, Walton, White, Wilkinson
Child Placing Agencies
All God’s Children (Bogart, GA)
Bethany Christian Services (Atlanta, GA)
Bloom (Fayetteville, GA)
Devereux, Georgia (Kennesaw, GA)
FaithBridge Foster Care (Alpharetta, GA)
Families First (Norcross, GA)
Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, Inc. (Palmetto, GA)
Lutheran Services of Georgia (Atlanta, GA)
Meritan (Cartersville, GA)
Murphy Harpst (Rome, GA)
Uniting Hope 4 Children (Loganville, GA)
Winshape Homes (Atlanta, GA)
