Foster Care – Parenting with a Purpose

Foster care is the full-time temporary care of a child in your home.  A family like yours can provide a nurturing environment to children separated from their families. Foster care provides an opportunity for children to heal while their birth family addresses the issues necessary to resume parenting.  Family Services of Western Pennsylvania offers modest compensation for this important work.

Family Services of Western Pennsylvania offers a comprehensive training and support network for foster parents.  As part of the approval process, applicants must complete 40 hours of “pre-service” training.  Currently, this training is offered over 7 consecutive Saturdays, several times each year, excluding holidays.  After being approved, foster parents must complete 15 hours of training each year. Family Services of Western Pennsylvania is the only Allegheny County agency to offer a monthly support group for foster parents and children.  Each month, families gather for a potluck dinner and training discussion while their foster and birth children participate in staff supervised activities

Foster Care Coffee House Tour

Thinking about becoming a foster parent?  Join us at your neighborhood coffee house for an informal meeting about the training, supports and preparation you’ll receive from Family Services’ Foster Care Program.  Click here for a list of upcoming dates.

What’s next?  If you are interested in more information, contact our recruitment staff to set up an individualized meeting to orient you to our foster care program.  At this meeting, you will receive all application materials and have the opportunity to ask questions about the application process and foster care in general.