Thank you for your interest in providing foster care for the youth of Nebraska. Since you have taken the first step in the fostering process we will explain where things go from here. We invite you to fill out the online form below. Our foster care recruiter will contact you at which time he/she will answer any questions you might have. Once you know you want to proceed in the process, the recruiter will set up an informational meeting with you in your home. If a consensus is reached and you desire to continue your path towards fostering, you will be contacted regarding the next step in the process. Our recruiter will communicate with you the upcoming training sessions and make arrangements for you to be a part of the training classes.
If you are already a licensed foster parent and want to transfer to Christian Heritage, the process can begin immediately. So please fill out the online form and get started on the adventure of a lifetime!
STEP ONE: Training
The State of Nebraska requires all foster parents to complete 27 hours of Pride or 30 hours of PS-MAPP pre-service training, depending upon which service area you reside. Both types of training occur in a workshop setting which focuses on discussion, hands-on interaction and information on topics related to fostering or adopting youth. Topics of discussion include, but are not limited to, the role and responsibilities of foster parents, partnerships with team members and birth parents, community resources available to foster parents, preparing families for placement, the effect of separation on children and subsequent behaviors to expect from a foster child, identifying and coping with grief and loss, as well as teaching skills and techniques that will equip foster parents to provide the most productive and God-honoring care possible.
Christian Heritage conducts these trainings several times a year in our different service areas. Pride training is held in 3-hour sessions twice a week (generally Monday and Thursday evenings) over a 7-week period. PS-MAPP training occurs once a week for 3 hours (generally Monday or Thursday evenings) for 10 weeks. Once a foster care license is issued by the state and obtained by the foster parent(s), it is effective for 2 years. During the 2-year license period, 24 hours of additional and ongoing training is required. This will be discussed to greater detail in the next section of the fostering process.
STEP TWO: Licensing
Licensing is required by the state to assure that children are placed in an environment which meets minimum health and safety standards. There is no fee for foster parents to be licensed. This is a time-consuming process, but relevant to the safety of children in foster care.
Fingerprints, references, home studies and personal interviews are conducted, along with various forms and other state and federal security checks. Licenses are valid for 2 years. Prior to the end of the license time period, foster parents will receive a renewal application to complete. Issuance of a foster care license, however, does not guarantee placement of children in a home by any public or private agency.
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