Becoming a foster parent means more than just providing shelter and basic necessities. When you make the decision to foster a youth, you are choosing to change their life for the better. Welcoming a foster child into your heart and home provides the love and stability so many of these children are desperately seeking.
Foster a Youth,
Change a Life
Why Foster Care?
Agape for Youth, Inc. has a 32 year history of providing quality services to children and families in southwest Ohio. Our first certified foster family with the agency continues to provide care for children in foster care. Agape will provide you with personal and individual services within a family environment that will help answer your questions and reduce any anxiety you may have about becoming a foster parent. Our goal at Agape for Youth, Inc. is to provide clear and honest communication about the requirements and to help you reach your goal of including children into your life.
Interested in learning more? Contact us today.
We are thankful that you are taking the first step in learning more about becoming a foster parent. Please fill out the form below and we will contact you soon.
Our Process
Foster families are not on this journey alone. When you choose to work with Agape, a social worker will help you with each step in the process. Information shared with our agency is kept in strict confidence. Our team and potential foster parents work together to determine goals and abilities. Once you are certified for foster care, we will call you regarding children who have been referred to us for foster placement. Our goal is for children to experience the fewest placement moves possible. As a foster parent, you make the final decision about the age, sex, number, and need level of the children who will be placed in your home.
After children are placed, an Agape social worker will visit you and the children in your home several times a month to provide case management services. Agape for Youth also provides 24-hour a day availability through our on-call social worker.
Our Stories
Why Our Work Matters
FAQs
- A caring spirit with a desire to help children who have been the victims of abuse and neglect.
- The ability to work as a member of a team serving the needs of a child.
- The belief that people can learn, grow, and change.
- At least one applicant in the home must be able to read, write, and speak English or be able to effectively communicate with any child placed in their home and with the recommending agency.
- May be single or legally married.
- Must show the household has an income sufficient to meet the basic needs of the household.
- Must be free of any physical, emotional, or mental condition which would endanger a child or seriously impair the ability of the foster caregiver or applicant to care for a foster child.
- Must have a medical statement on all household members.
- Must obtain an approved fire inspection.
- Must complete all pre-placement and continuing training.
- There is no cost for the work completed by Agape for Youth, Inc. for individuals and/or couples to become certified foster parents.
- There are some fees associated with the documentation required by the process, such as a fee for a fire inspection and the fees to obtain medical statements.
- Once a foster child is placed in your home, monies are provided to assist with the care of the child.
- Contact Agape through this website, email, or by phone.
- Attend training which includes Orientation to Foster. These meetings are typically held on the first Tuesday of each month from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Please contact the Agape office to confirm the meeting date at (937) 439-4406.
- Attend 36 hours of training class required for the licensing process. You can begin at the next scheduled training as classes do not need to be taken in order.
- Complete an application to care for children.
- Submit paperwork for the home study and licensing process (such as a medical statement, background check, fire inspection).
- Meet with a social worker for an interview(s) so that the agency can become better acquainted with your family to determine the type of child(ren) you are interested in parenting.
Ways to Help
Donate
Your support matters. Join us in our mission to grow families well by making a donation today.
Volunteer
We can’t do this without you. Whether you are qualified to tutor youth or can offer support for one of our annual events, your time and talents are both needed and appreciated.