I'm A Foster Parent
Bringing Families Together sends all our gratitude to our foster parents!
Strong, resilient communities...one family at a time
Making a difference for children
You are the backbone of this community, supporting kids and families in need with your hard work and dedication to our children.
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Stretching
Can you stretch? We are in great need of more foster homes to serve the needs of all of our foster youth. We especially need foster homes for our teen youth.
Would you consider stretching the number of children you can foster? Or perhaps consider stretching the age range of the youth you are willing to foster? Interested in learning more?
Please reach out to Resource Director Kim Brown at 314-938-5704 or Kim@bringingfamiliestogether.com to learn more and discuss options and opportunities.
Training
Foster families are required to complete 30 hours ongoing training every two years to maintain their foster care license.
Please visit the Children’s Division website for a chart providing both mandatory and optional trainings to help you meet your 30 hours of required in-service training.
Bringing Families Together collaborates with Saint Louis Partners to offer additional training opportunities. Please subscribe to our Newsletter and also watch our upcoming events for upcoming training and other support opportunities.
Level A & Level B Training:
Behavioral Level A and Career Level B trainings are an additional level of trainings that offer amazing support to foster parents. They not only teach how to manage different behavioral needs a child in your home may display, but it also gives you an even greater understanding of trauma and how it impacts the children in your home. It allows for open discussions about some of the struggles you might be facing with different behavioral needs of children in your home and gives an opportunity for different solutions that might be possible.
Supports:
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Also, please see Resources / Supports section further below.
Rights and Responsibilities
Bringing Families Together greatly appreciates you opening your heart and homes to children in need.
We are here to offer information to assist, support and connect you to the training and resources you need throughout your foster care journey.
For more information about the rights and responsibilities of a foster parent, please review our Clients Rights & Responsibilities brochure.
Please also review the Foster Parents' Bill of Rights on the State of Missouri's website.
Resources / Supports
Bringing Families Together supports our foster families...
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Foster Parent Advisory Committee
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Foster Closets
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Children's Division Daycare Locating
Need help or need to report a concern?
Here are important resource numbers for you to keep on hand as a foster parent. Foster parents are also mandated reporters.
If you see or suspect child abuse or neglect, say something.
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Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call/text 988
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Child Abuse or Neglect: 800-392-3738
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School Violence: 866-748-7047
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Human Trafficking: 888-373-7888
Forms
Here is a list of helpful forms for you as a foster parent:
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Mileage Form
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SLP Direct Deposit Form
LGBTQ+ Families
Bringing Families Together supports diversity in our families and community. We launched our LGBTQ Foster and Adoptive Parenting group in 2018 to offer families additional support and resources. You are welcome and encouraged to join our online LGBTQ parenting group on Facebook.
Our group also became an official member of the National Network of LGBTQ Family Groups through the Family Equality Council in January 2019. There is a great need for foster families to support our LBGTQ youth who may face additional challenges of acceptance before and after coming into care. Youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or other diverse identity (LGBTQ+) are overrepresented in foster care with an estimated 30% of youth in foster care identifying as LGBTQ+.
Like all kids, LGBTQ youths need the support of a nurturing family to help them navigate their teenage years and grow into healthy adults. These youth face additional challenges, including the losses that brought them into foster care. To learn more about LGBTQ youth and how to support them as a foster parent, the Child Welfare Information Gateway has put together a great factsheet resource. It also includes a full page of additional resources to support you as a foster family for LGBTQ youth.
Foster care / waiting children
We have many waiting children who need foster and forever homes and being a foster or adoptive parent is an amazing way to support children and families.
Please watch the video and explore our photo gallery and the children’s profiles.
Upcoming Events
BFT offers trainings that would also be useful for you as a mentor, which you are welcome to attend. Please visit our events page to see our upcoming events.
