Foster Parent Orientation Self-Assessment Quiz

Whether you are an older adult or a younger adult (at least 21 years old), single, or married, in a traditional or non-traditional relationship, a home owner or renter, foster care may be a good option for you. The quiz below will help you determine if treatment foster care is the best choice for you now. Please give Andrea Neri a call @ 274-6310 ext. 1259 for questions regarding this quiz or how to become a licensed treatment foster parent.

Am I 21 years old or older and living in Rhode Island? Foster parents must be 21 years old or older; and must have a valid Rhode Island driver’s license. YES/NO

Am I in good health? Being a parent can be demanding. You must be healthy and emotionally stable to care for foster children. All those living in your home must have a health statement completed by a physician showing that you are physically, mentally and emotionally capable of being a foster parent.YES/NO

Is my home safe? During the home study, I will conduct a safety inspection of your home. You must have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. A DCYF home/fire inspection is also required (we set that up) and a lead inspection is necessary if your home was built prior to 1978 and you plan on fostering a child under the age of six. YES/NO

Am I open to fostering a child 8 years and older? Children who end up in care are usually 8 years old or older. Often many are a part of siblings groups and may be medically fragile.YES/NO

Am I willing to work with children who have moderate behaviors and/or developmental disabilities? Many of our children have experienced trauma and loss in their lives and can react by running away, stealing, lying, and physical and verbal aggression to name a few. In addition, many foster children have varying degrees of developmental disabilities. YES/NO

Am I open to working with birth families? Most of our foster children have visits with their birth siblings, birth parents, and relatives. Studies have shown that contact between the foster family and the child’s birth family can be very beneficial for all parties. When the child can see that both families love them and can work together, it reduces the feeling that she/he must choose one family over the other. It is important that as a foster parent you support the child’s relationship with her/his birth parents if that is appropriate. Sometimes foster parents may need to provide transportation to visits but you will never have to supervise visits. YES/NO

Have I or anyone in my household had any investigations of child abuse or neglect? If you or someone in your household has had a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect, you will not be able to become a foster parent. All potential foster parents are required to submit background checks: BCI (state), fingerprints (Nationwide) and DCYF Child Protective Service check (if you haven’t lived in Rhode Island for the past five years, an Adam Walsh check is completed). YES/NO

Have I or any adult in my home been convicted of a crime? If you or any adult living in your home has been convicted of certain criminal offenses, you cannot become a foster parent. Each adult member in your household 18 years and older will need to be fingerprinted and BCI’s completed. YES/NO

Do I have a good driving record? RI foster parents are required to submit their driving record. Go to dmv.ri.gov and on the right side of the webpage click on “driver’s license records” and follow the directions. YES/NO

Do I have adequate income? You do not have to be wealthy to become a foster parent. However, you must have enough income to meet your own family’s needs. Room and board is used to meet the foster child’s needs. YES/NO

Can I attend trainings (pre-placement trauma training- 30hours and once a child is placed, two hours once a month)? Foster parents must complete mandatory 30 hours of trauma based training (typically, it’s a 10 week training, one night per week for 3 hours) before being licensed as a foster parent. Parents must commit to on-going training once a month and home visits once a child is placed. YES/NO

Am I am ready to begin the licensing process now? You are ready to begin the licensing process if you have answered yes to all the questions (except for the questions regarding child abuse and neglect investigation involvement and the question about being convicted of a crime-these should be “NO”) and your life and housing are stable. “Stable” means that you are not about to move and are not having financial, marital or emotional difficulties or making any major life changes in the near future. YES/NO

If you have questions regarding this quiz, call Andrea 274-6310 ext. 1259 or email

Thank you for taking this quiz!

(updated 6-17)