Parenting any child can be both rewarding and difficult. There are unique challenges that foster parents face when caring for children and youth. The resources on this page offer support and guidance to foster parents, as well as a list of national organizations through which foster parents can find additional information and supports as they navigate the process.
National organizations
Family Focused Treatment Association
Strengthens agencies that support families caring for vulnerable children in an effort to define and refine treatment foster care practices.
Find a Parent Group
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Provides a list of parent support groups across the country for adoptive, foster, and kinship caregivers. To limit the search to just foster care support groups, select the “foster care” option under View All.
Knowledge Center: Local/National Groups and Support
Foster Care to Success
Provides a list of national, State, and local groups that provide resources and community for foster and kinship caregivers.
National Foster Care and Adoption Directory Search
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Offers information and links to State foster care and adoption support groups. Follow these steps on the page:
- Step 1: Choose a State(s)
- Step 2: Under “Support Groups” choose “Kinship, Foster Care and Adoption Support Groups”
- Step 3: Press Go.
National Foster Parent Association
Supports foster parents in achieving safety, permanence, and well-being for the children and youth in their care.
Resources Especially for Foster or Adoptive Families
Center for Parent Information and Resources (2018)
Provides information and resources for foster or adoptive parents on raising or caring for a child with disabilities, including how to address and understand the child’s disability, a list of organizations focused on adoption and foster parenting, and information on finding support groups.
Support resources
6 Foster Care Skills You Need to Master Before Becoming a Foster Parent
Craft (2018)
The Spruce
Highlights basic foster care skills, including assessing your family’s fitness for fostering, maintaining open communication, managing challenging behaviors, and coping with a sense of loss after a child’s reunification with his or her birth family.
10 Things Every Foster Parent in Virginia Should Know
Newfound Families Virginia
Explains key pieces of information related to fostering children, including reimbursement rates and court processes.
Daily Strength Foster Care Support Group
Daily Strength
Connects with other foster parents online. Answer questions and learn from what other foster parents are doing.
Five Tips for Building A Foster Parent Support Network
Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Public Awareness Campaign (2019)
Provides a list of insights on finding the supports that foster parents and families need be resilient and successful, including how to ask for help, joining a support group, accessing donated items, and more.
How to Say Goodbye to Children in Your Home (PDF - 1,137 KB)
Iowa Foster Care and Adoptive Parents Association (2015)
News and Views, Spring
Suggests several ways that a foster parent can prepare to have a child in their care get ready to leave their foster home. Suggestions include life books, engaging the child in the packing process, craft activities, and more.
How to Support Reunification: Even if You Don’t Want to
Bailey (2017)
Adoption.com
Lists ways to cope with and manage responsibilities in throughout reunification process.
State Guides and Manuals Search for Resource Parents about Out-of-Home Care
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Offers State-specific information to educate foster parents about their role and responsibilities, parenting and visitation guidelines, access to resources and support, and more.
Support for Foster Parents
AdoptUSKids
Describes the basic aspects of the fostering experience, including partnering with the child's caseworker, meeting the child's needs, preventing burnout, and learning resources.
Support for Foster Parents Means Better Lives for Foster Youth
Williams & Bringewatt (2016)
Child Trends
Highlights a program in New York and Nevada that focuses on supporting foster parents and families through activities such as connecting them with a peer mentor and helping them with household chores and enrichment activities.