Foster Care Provide a safe haven for a child -- be a foster parent!
We will help you get licensed and provide ongoing training and support. |
Foster parents provide temporary care for boys and girls of all races and religions, from birth to age 18. More than 18,000 Michigan children are in foster care because their birth families cannot provide a safe and secure home. It’s beyond their control and it’s never their fault!
Many but not all children in foster care are receiving therapy for moderate to severe emotional and behavioral problems due to abuse, neglect and/or separation from their families. Our Lansing and Detroit offices also offer refugee foster care, helping children and teens from other countries who arrive in the United States without an adult to care for them.  | Contact one of our foster care office locations to request more information about becoming a foster parent. We are recruiting new foster parents everywhere, but especially in Saginaw, where our program is expanding. |
| HELP A TEEN in LSSM's
Supervised Independent Living ProgramRent a room -- or be a mentor
Youth leaving the foster care system at age 18 need rooms to rent with caring families. Can you provide a room in your home? You will not be a foster parent -- just a positive role model who can show how life really works.
Teens also need mentors to help them learn how to make it on their own. If you can meet with a young person for two to four hours every month, you can be a mentor. You must be: at least 18 years old, a positive role model for youth and willing to submit to a criminal check Learn more about being a host or mentor: |
| FOSTER CARE FOR
REFUGEE YOUTH Learn how you can help a teen or young adult who has fled from war, violence or persecution in another country and arrived in the United States with no adults to turn to for support. |
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is foster care?
How can I help?
What kind of children are in foster care?
What do foster parents do?
Can I have a job outside the home?
What kind of financial support would I get? What is foster care?
Foster care is a service provided to children who have been removed from their home because of risk of neglect or abuse. Foster families provide 24-hour care to children and help birth parents and children work towards family reunification. LSSM staff provide support, and the local family court reviews progress regularly. How can I help?
By becoming a foster parent, you can provide a safe, stable environment for a child, reduce the risk of further harm and promote family reunification. You can give children the love and attention they deserve when they are away from their birth parents. What kind of children are in foster care?
Children in foster care range from newborns to age 18. They come from many racial, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. Some have never had a stable home. Some but not all children may have emotional, behavioral and medical problems, including aggressiveness, bedwetting, defiance, lack of motivation, anger and depression. What do foster parents do?
Foster parents are 24-hour caregivers. They provide food, shelter, clothing and emotional support for the child. They are required to give the child the opportunity for recreation and social interaction. They must transport the child to appointments, doctor visits and school. Foster parents must also attend ongoing training classes and participate in monthly visits with caseworkers. Can I have a job outside the home?
Many foster parents have “outside” jobs as well. In such cases, foster children are treated just like the family’s own children. When the parents are at work, the children may be in school, at a day care center, or with another family member or babysitter. What kind of financial support would I get?
Foster parents receive reimbursement every month to provide food, clothing and other things their foster children need. The amount depends on the needs of the child. Foster parents also receive a clothing allowance for foster children twice a year.
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