How to Become a Foster Parent in Maryland

Description

Maryland's foster care system provides temporary, safe, family-based care for children who cannot safely remain in their own homes because of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or other circumstances. The primary goal for most children is safe reunification with their parents whenever possible. Foster parents provide daily care, supervision, stability, advocacy, emotional support, transportation, healthcare coordination, educational support, and nurturing while working closely with the child's family, local department of social services, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and treatment professionals.

Agency

The Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), Social Services Administration, oversees Maryland's foster care program. Individual Local Departments of Social Services (LDSS) recruit, train, license, and support foster families within each county and Baltimore City. Maryland also contracts with licensed private child placement agencies to provide foster care and treatment foster care services.

Who Can Apply

Maryland residents who are at least 21 years old may apply to become licensed foster parents. Applicants may be single, married, divorced, or partnered and may rent or own their residence. Applicants must demonstrate emotional stability, financial responsibility, good physical and mental health, sufficient household space, reliable transportation, sound judgment, and the ability to meet the developmental, emotional, educational, cultural, and medical needs of children who may have experienced trauma.

Average Time To License

Most applicants complete Maryland's licensing process within three to six months. The timeline depends upon training schedules, submission of required documentation, completion of background investigations, references, medical examinations, interviews, the home study, home inspection, and correction of any identified licensing deficiencies.

Website

Visit the official agency website

Minimum Age

Applicants must generally be at least 21 years old. Licensing staff also evaluate applicants' maturity, emotional stability, parenting abilities, physical and mental health, financial stability, household functioning, and ability to safely care for foster children.

Residency

Applicants must reside in Maryland and make their home available for licensing inspections, interviews, and ongoing monitoring. Applicants who previously lived in other states may be required to complete additional child abuse registry and criminal-history checks from those jurisdictions.

Marital Status

Maryland accepts applications from qualified single adults, married couples, and other qualified adults living together. Married couples generally participate together throughout the licensing process. Household relationships and overall family stability are evaluated during the home study.

Income Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient and stable income to meet their household's existing financial obligations without relying upon foster care reimbursement payments. Foster care maintenance payments are intended to reimburse expenses associated with caring for foster children rather than serve as household income.

Home Ownership

Applicants may rent, lease, or own their residence. Homes, apartments, condominiums, townhomes, and manufactured homes may qualify provided they satisfy Maryland licensing standards for safety, sanitation, space, utilities, fire safety, and environmental health.

Bedroom Requirements

Each foster child must have their own bed with appropriate bedding and storage for personal belongings. Bedrooms must provide sufficient living space, privacy, ventilation, lighting, and safe emergency exits. Licensing standards govern bedroom sharing based upon children's ages, genders, developmental needs, and individual circumstances.

Transportation

Applicants must maintain reliable transportation to meet children's educational, medical, visitation, recreational, and emergency needs. Drivers transporting foster children must possess valid driver's licenses, maintain automobile insurance, and comply with Maryland child passenger safety laws.

Health Requirements

Applicants must be physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of providing appropriate care. Maryland requires medical documentation verifying applicants' ability to foster. Licensing staff evaluate physical health, mental health, medications, communicable diseases, substance use history, and any condition that could affect safe caregiving.

Pet Policy

Pets are permitted provided they are healthy, appropriately vaccinated when applicable, properly supervised, and do not present a danger to children. Licensing staff may evaluate animal behavior, sanitation, veterinary care, and household safety.

Firearm Policy

Firearms must be unloaded and securely locked in a manner inaccessible to children. Ammunition must be stored separately in a locked location. Licensing staff inspect firearm storage during home inspections and may require additional safety measures depending upon the ages and needs of children placed in the home.

Contact Agency

Prospective foster parents should contact their local Maryland Department of Social Services or a licensed private child placement agency serving their county to begin the licensing process and register for an informational meeting.

Attend Orientation

Applicants attend a foster parent orientation that explains Maryland's foster care system, reunification, permanency planning, licensing requirements, training expectations, home study procedures, placement decisions, and the responsibilities of foster parents.

Choose Agency

Applicants choose whether to become licensed through their local Department of Social Services or through a licensed private child placement agency. Families interested in treatment foster care may work with agencies specializing in therapeutic placements.

Documents Needed

• Completed Maryland foster parent application
• Government-issued identification
• Social Security numbers or identifying information for applicants
• Household member information
• Fingerprint authorization forms
• Criminal background check documentation
• Child abuse registry authorization forms
• Medical examination forms
• Personal references
• Employment and income information
• Proof of automobile insurance
• Driver's license information
• Emergency contact information
• Pet vaccination records when applicable
• Firearm ownership information when applicable
• Water testing documentation for private wells when applicable
• Additional documentation requested by the licensing agency

Required

Yes

Description

Maryland requires prospective foster parents to attend an orientation before beginning the licensing process. Orientation provides an overview of foster care, reunification, licensing standards, training requirements, foster parent responsibilities, placement expectations, confidentiality, teamwork with birth families, and the home study process.

How To Register

Orientation sessions are scheduled through each Local Department of Social Services or licensed private child placement agency. Interested applicants should contact the agency serving their county to register.

Duration

Orientation length varies somewhat by agency but is generally completed during a single informational session before applicants begin formal training.

Application Process

Following orientation, applicants complete the Maryland foster parent application and submit required supporting documentation. The licensing process includes references, fingerprint-based criminal history checks, child abuse registry checks, medical documentation, interviews, pre-service training, a comprehensive home study, home safety inspection, and correction of any identified licensing deficiencies before approval.

Required Documents

• Completed foster parent application
• Government-issued identification
• Background check authorization forms
• Fingerprint submissions
• Medical examination documentation
• Personal references
• Employment verification
• Income verification
• Driver's license information
• Vehicle insurance documentation
• Emergency contact information
• Household member information
• Additional documents requested by the licensing agency

References Required

Applicants must provide personal references from individuals who can evaluate their character, maturity, parenting ability, stability, and suitability to become foster parents. Licensing workers may request additional references if needed.

Interview Process

Applicants participate in interviews as part of the home study. Household members, including children when appropriate, may also be interviewed. The interviews examine applicants' family history, relationships, parenting philosophy, trauma awareness, discipline methods, support systems, finances, health, motivation to foster, placement preferences, and ability to work with birth families and child welfare professionals.

Required

Yes

Curriculum

Maryland requires prospective resource parents to complete a pre-service resource-parent training program approved by the Department of Human Services or the supervising licensed child placement agency. Training prepares applicants to understand Maryland's child-welfare system, the role of resource parents, reunification and permanency planning, trauma, attachment, separation, grief and loss, child and adolescent development, positive discipline, cultural responsiveness, confidentiality, mandated reporting, family visitation, educational advocacy, healthcare responsibilities, normalcy, documentation, and cooperation with children's parents, relatives, caseworkers, attorneys, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and treatment professionals.

Required Hours

Maryland requires applicants to successfully complete the pre-service resource-parent training program assigned by their Local Department of Social Services or licensed private child placement agency before approval. The precise curriculum length and scheduling may vary by agency and by the type of foster-care program. In a two-parent household, both applicants must complete the required training. Resource parents must also complete ongoing in-service training to maintain approval, and additional training may be required for treatment foster care or children with specialized medical, developmental, emotional, or behavioral needs.

Online Available

Maryland agencies may offer portions of orientation, pre-service instruction, and continuing education virtually or online depending upon the Local Department of Social Services or private agency. Applicants must still complete required interviews, background clearances, medical documentation, home-study activities, health and fire inspections, and physical assessment of the residence.

Certification

Resource parents may be required to complete and maintain certification in First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to the supervising agency's requirements and the needs of children placed in the home. Treatment foster-care agencies may require additional certification or instruction in medication administration, behavioral intervention, crisis prevention, de-escalation, trauma-informed care, developmental disabilities, medically fragile care, infant safety, or other specialized subjects.

Required

Yes

Interviews

Maryland requires applicants to participate in a family home study before approval as resource parents. The process includes interviews with each applicant and relevant household members. Couples may be interviewed jointly and separately, and children living in the home may be interviewed in an age-appropriate manner. The assessment considers applicants' motivation, family history, relationships, parenting practices, discipline, emotional and physical health, financial stability, household functioning, trauma awareness, support systems, cultural responsiveness, placement preferences, and ability to work with children's parents and child-welfare professionals.

Home Visits

The resource-home worker conducts one or more visits to the applicant's residence. Home visits allow the agency to interview household members and examine bedrooms, sleeping arrangements, utilities, sanitation, emergency exits, smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, medications, hazardous materials, firearms, pets, pools, transportation resources, and other environmental conditions. The residence must also pass applicable health and fire inspections before final approval.

Topics Covered

• Applicants' reasons for becoming resource parents
• Understanding that foster care is generally temporary
• Understanding reunification as the primary goal for many children
• Ability to support family visitation and permanency planning
• Ability to work cooperatively with children's parents, relatives, caseworkers, attorneys, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and treatment professionals
• Applicants' childhood experiences and family histories
• Current household relationships and family functioning
• Marital, partner, or significant-relationship stability
• Impact of fostering on children and adults already living in the home
• Previous parenting, foster-care, adoption, childcare, or caregiving experience
• Knowledge of child and adolescent development
• Understanding trauma, abuse, neglect, attachment, separation, grief, and loss
• Positive discipline methods and prohibited forms of punishment
• Ability to respond safely to trauma-related behaviors
• Ability to provide nurturing care, supervision, structure, consistency, and appropriate boundaries
• Physical health and capacity to meet children's daily needs
• Mental and emotional health
• Medications or treatment that could affect caregiving
• Alcohol, cannabis, controlled-substance, and other substance-use history
• Domestic violence, protection orders, or other household-safety concerns
• Criminal-history and child-protective-services information
• Financial stability, income, expenses, debts, and budgeting
• Employment schedules and childcare arrangements
• Transportation resources and appointment availability
• Emergency preparedness and evacuation planning
• Extended-family, community, faith-community, peer, and professional support systems
• Cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic, disability, sexual-orientation, gender-identity, and gender-expression awareness
• Ability to preserve children's family, sibling, cultural, school, and community relationships
• Confidentiality and protection of children's personal information
• Household members' expectations and attitudes concerning foster care
• Pets, firearms, pools, smoking, vaping, cannabis, and other environmental risks
• Bedroom arrangements, storage, privacy, and proposed household capacity
• Placement preferences concerning ages, sibling groups, medical needs, developmental disabilities, behaviors, and treatment needs
• The family's strengths, limitations, support needs, and future training needs
• Ability to maintain records and cooperate with agency supervision and annual reconsideration

Timeline

Maryland does not guarantee one completion period for every family home study. Timing depends upon submission of paperwork, references, medical forms, fingerprinting, criminal and child-protection clearances, training attendance, interview scheduling, health and fire inspections, home visits, and correction of any identified safety or licensing deficiencies.

Bedroom Rules

Each foster child must have an individual bed with an appropriate mattress, clean bedding, and adequate storage for clothing and personal belongings. Bedrooms must provide suitable space, privacy, ventilation, lighting, heat, and safe access to an exit. Bedroom-sharing arrangements must be appropriate to the children's ages, sex, developmental abilities, behaviors, relationships, and individual needs and must comply with the standards of the approving agency.

Smoke Detectors

The home must have properly installed and operational smoke alarms in locations required by Maryland fire-safety standards and the approving agency. Carbon-monoxide alarms must also be installed where applicable. Alarms must be tested and maintained, and the home must pass the required fire inspection before final approval.

Fire Extinguisher

The residence must maintain appropriate and accessible fire-safety equipment, which may include a properly rated fire extinguisher as required by the fire authority or approving agency. Applicants must maintain clear exits, develop an emergency evacuation plan, and ensure that household members understand emergency procedures.

Medications

Prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, controlled substances, vitamins, cannabis products, syringes, and other potentially dangerous medical items must be stored so that children cannot gain unauthorized access. Storage arrangements must account for the ages, developmental abilities, behaviors, and individual safety needs of children placed in the home.

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning products, poisons, pesticides, fuels, alcohol, cannabis products, vaping liquids, power tools, sharp objects, and other hazardous materials must be safely stored and inaccessible to children. Hazardous products should remain properly labeled and should be kept in their original containers whenever practical.

Firearms

Firearms must be unloaded and stored in a locked location inaccessible to children. Ammunition must be stored separately in another locked location. Keys, combinations, and access devices must remain under responsible adult control. The licensing worker will inspect weapon-storage arrangements and may require additional safeguards based upon the needs of children placed in the home.

Pools

Swimming pools, hot tubs, ponds, waterfront areas, and other water hazards must be protected against unsupervised access. The approving agency may require barriers, locked gates, safety covers, alarms, rescue equipment, swimming rules, or a written supervision plan. Foster children must receive active and developmentally appropriate adult supervision around water.

Pets

Pets and other animals must be maintained in a sanitary manner and may not present an unreasonable health or safety risk to children. Applicants may be required to provide vaccination or veterinary records. Animals with aggressive behavior or another identified safety concern may require restricted access, additional supervision, a written safety plan, or removal from contact with foster children.

Vehicle Requirements

The household must have access to safe and reliable transportation. Vehicles used to transport foster children must be legally registered, appropriately insured, safely maintained, and operated by drivers with valid licenses. Children must use seat belts, car seats, booster seats, and other restraints required by Maryland law.

Fingerprinting

Maryland requires fingerprint-based criminal-history record checks for prospective resource parents and other covered adult household members. Local departments and private child placement agencies may also require updated fingerprinting during reconsideration, after certain household changes, or when otherwise required by law or agency policy.

Child Abuse Registry

Applicants and covered household members must authorize reviews of Maryland Child Protective Services records. Applicants who have lived outside Maryland may be required to obtain child-abuse and neglect registry clearances or equivalent child-welfare records from previous states or jurisdictions.

Criminal History

The approving agency reviews state and federal criminal-history information, child-protection records, references, court information, licensing history, and other relevant records. Applicants must disclose arrests, criminal charges, convictions, probation, protective orders, and other legal matters requested during the application and home-study process.

Disqualifying Offenses

Certain serious criminal convictions, findings of child abuse or neglect, and other conduct may prohibit or prevent approval under Maryland or federal law. Other records may receive an individualized review that considers the nature and seriousness of the conduct, when it occurred, evidence of rehabilitation, treatment or court compliance, subsequent history, and whether the applicant currently presents a risk to children.

Additional Checks

Additional reviews may include local police clearances, motor-vehicle records, prior foster-care or adoption records, previous childcare or human-services licensing history, references, medical information, court records, protection orders, and any other information the Local Department of Social Services or licensed agency considers necessary to determine applicant suitability and household safety.

Steps

• Contact the Local Department of Social Services or a licensed private child placement agency.
• Attend the required information or orientation meeting.
• Complete preliminary application paperwork and background-clearance forms.
• Submit fingerprint-based criminal-history checks.
• Complete Child Protective Services background reviews.
• Complete the approved resource-parent pre-service training program.
• Submit medical forms, questionnaires, references, and personal documents.
• Participate in interviews with the resource-home worker.
• Complete the comprehensive family home study.
• Complete the physical home-safety assessment.
• Complete required health and fire inspections.
• Complete private-well water testing when applicable.
• Correct any identified health, fire, environmental, or licensing deficiencies.
• Receive the agency's approval or certification decision.
• Discuss placement preferences and household capacity.
• Begin receiving placement inquiries after approval.
• Complete ongoing training and annual reconsideration requirements.

Average Timeline

The Maryland resource-parent approval process frequently takes several months, although no single timeframe applies to every applicant. Timing depends upon the applicant's responsiveness, training schedules, references, fingerprint processing, child-protection clearances, medical documentation, interviews, health and fire inspections, the home study, and correction of identified deficiencies.

Renewal Requirements

Maryland resource homes are subject to ongoing agency supervision and periodic reconsideration or renewal. Resource parents must continue meeting training, household, health, fire-safety, background, documentation, and reporting requirements. The agency may require updated household information, medical forms, clearances, references, training records, home visits, inspections, and review of changes affecting the family's approval.

Ongoing Training

Approved resource parents must complete ongoing in-service education according to Department and agency requirements. Training may address trauma-informed care, child development, attachment, positive discipline, cultural responsiveness, family engagement, reunification, medication, behavioral intervention, crisis response, normalcy, educational advocacy, adolescent development, medically fragile care, or other subjects relevant to children placed in the home.

How Placements Work

After approval, the Local Department of Social Services or licensed private agency may contact the resource family when a child needs placement. Placement staff consider the home's approved capacity, location, household composition, bedroom arrangements, training, experience, strengths, transportation, support systems, and stated preferences. They also consider the child's safety, age, siblings, school, family relationships, culture, visitation schedule, medical and developmental needs, behaviors, supervision requirements, and permanency plan.

Can Decline Placements

Yes. Resource parents may decline a placement they do not believe they can safely or appropriately support. Before accepting, families should ask about the child's history, medical needs, medications, behaviors, developmental needs, educational circumstances, sibling relationships, visitation schedule, transportation responsibilities, supervision level, permanency goal, and available services.

Emergency Placements

Maryland may request an emergency placement when a child must be removed from a home immediately for safety reasons. Licensed resource parents may receive urgent calls outside normal business hours. A child may also be placed provisionally with relatives or kin while required background clearances, inspections, training, and approval activities are completed. Emergency or provisional placement does not eliminate continuing safety, court, case-planning, and licensing requirements.

Sibling Groups

Maryland seeks to place siblings together when doing so is in their best interests and does not conflict with a specific health or safety requirement. Placement workers consider bedroom capacity, supervision needs, transportation, school locations, family visitation, medical and behavioral needs, and available support. When siblings cannot live together, the agency should preserve their relationship through visits, communication, shared activities, and coordinated permanency planning when appropriate.

Age Preferences

Applicants identify the ages, number of children, sibling groups, placement types, medical needs, developmental disabilities, behaviors, and supervision levels they believe they can support. Placement decisions balance those preferences with the family's demonstrated abilities, approved capacity, household circumstances, and each child's individual needs.

Monthly Board Rate

Licensed Maryland resource parents receive monthly foster care maintenance payments intended to offset the ordinary costs of caring for children placed in their homes. Payment amounts vary according to the child's age, level of care, placement type, and assessed medical, developmental, emotional, or behavioral needs. Children approved for treatment foster care or other specialized placements may qualify for enhanced reimbursement. Payment schedules are periodically updated by the Maryland Department of Human Services and participating private child placement agencies.

Clothing Allowance

Maryland provides clothing assistance for foster children. Initial clothing allowances may be available for children entering care without adequate clothing, and additional reimbursement may be authorized for seasonal clothing, rapid growth, school clothing, special events, or other approved circumstances. Resource parents should retain receipts and follow their supervising agency's reimbursement procedures.

Daycare Assistance

Childcare assistance may be available when necessary to support a foster child's placement, the resource parent's employment or education, required foster parent training, court appearances, family visitation, medical appointments, treatment services, or other approved case-plan activities. Eligibility, provider requirements, authorization procedures, and funding vary according to the child's circumstances and supervising agency.

Medical Coverage

Children placed in Maryland foster care generally receive healthcare coverage through Maryland Medicaid. Coverage typically includes medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, prescription medications, developmental services, specialty care, emergency treatment, and other medically necessary services. Resource parents coordinate care with healthcare providers, the child's caseworker, Medicaid providers, and other treatment professionals.

Mileage Reimbursement

Mileage reimbursement may be available for approved transportation associated with a child's case plan, including family visitation, court appearances, medical appointments, behavioral-health services, school meetings, therapy, evaluations, and other authorized travel. Caregivers should follow agency reimbursement procedures and maintain required mileage documentation.

Additional Benefits

Depending upon the child's needs and placement type, Maryland resource families may receive additional support including specialized foster care payments, childcare assistance, respite services, behavioral-health consultation, educational advocacy, developmental-disability services, mentoring, support groups, training opportunities, purchase reimbursement, placement stabilization services, and other state or federally funded benefits.

Respite Care

Approved respite care may be available to provide temporary relief for foster families, reduce caregiver stress, and help preserve placements. Respite services are coordinated through the Local Department of Social Services or the supervising private child placement agency. Availability depends upon agency resources, funding, the child's needs, and provider availability.

Support Groups

Maryland foster, adoptive, and kinship families have access to support groups, caregiver meetings, conferences, online communities, peer networking opportunities, and educational events offered through local departments, licensed private agencies, the Maryland Foster Parent Association, AdoptUSKids partners, and community organizations throughout the state.

Mentoring

Many Maryland foster families have access to experienced foster parent mentors who provide guidance throughout licensing and placement. Mentors help new caregivers understand agency procedures, navigate challenges, prepare for court hearings and family visitation, locate community resources, and develop confidence in caring for children who have experienced trauma.

Counseling

Behavioral-health services, counseling, crisis intervention, family therapy, developmental services, and placement-support services are available through Medicaid providers, community mental-health agencies, schools, private clinicians, treatment foster-care agencies, and other authorized providers based upon the child's assessed needs and treatment plan.

Crisis Support

Resource parents receive ongoing support from their Local Department of Social Services, supervising private agency, after-hours emergency contacts, crisis-response teams, behavioral-health providers, emergency medical services, and law enforcement when necessary. Foster parents are expected to immediately report significant incidents affecting a child's health, safety, placement stability, or legal status.

Available

Yes. Maryland permits licensed resource families to be considered as adoptive families when reunification and other permanency options are no longer appropriate and adoption becomes the child's approved permanency plan. Foster parents are expected to fully support reunification efforts while the child remains in foster care.

Process

Children generally enter foster care with reunification as the primary permanency goal whenever it can safely be achieved. If reunification cannot occur, Maryland considers relatives, guardianship, and adoption. When adoption becomes the approved permanency plan, the child's current foster family may be considered along with other qualified adoptive resources. Placement decisions consider attachment, sibling relationships, cultural identity, family connections, the child's wishes when appropriate, and the family's ability to meet the child's long-term needs. Adoption requires completion of all legal proceedings before finalization.

Legal Risk

Every foster placement carries legal uncertainty until the court establishes a permanent outcome. Children may reunify with their parents, be placed with relatives, enter guardianship, be adopted by another family, or achieve another permanency outcome. Foster parents must support the child's permanency plan regardless of their own willingness to adopt.

Adoption Subsidy

Eligible children adopted from Maryland foster care may qualify for adoption assistance. Benefits may include monthly maintenance payments, Medicaid coverage, reimbursement of eligible nonrecurring adoption expenses, and post-adoption support services. Eligibility is determined according to state and federal adoption-assistance requirements.

Available

Yes. Maryland gives priority to placing children with relatives whenever safe and appropriate. Kinship caregivers may include grandparents, adult siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents, close family friends, or other adults who have a significant relationship with the child. Kinship placements help preserve family relationships, cultural identity, school stability, and community connections.

Licensing Differences

Relatives may sometimes receive emergency or provisional placement while required background checks, home assessments, and licensing activities are completed. Maryland may permit limited waivers of certain non-safety licensing standards for kinship caregivers when authorized by regulation; however, all required child safety, supervision, background-check, and household standards must still be satisfied.

Financial Support

Financial assistance available to Maryland kinship caregivers depends upon the child's custody status, the caregiver's licensing status, the permanency plan, and household eligibility. Assistance may include foster care maintenance payments for licensed kinship foster homes, Medicaid, Temporary Cash Assistance child-only grants, SNAP benefits, childcare assistance, adoption assistance, guardianship assistance when available, and other state or local support services.

Can I become a foster parent if I am single?

Yes. Maryland licenses qualified single adults, married couples, and other eligible adults. Licensing decisions are based upon an applicant's ability to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing home rather than marital status.

How old must I be?

Applicants must generally be at least 21 years old to become licensed foster parents in Maryland.

Do I have to own my home?

No. Applicants may rent, lease, or own their residence provided the home meets Maryland licensing standards for safety, sanitation, adequate space, utilities, and fire safety.

Can I work full time?

Yes. Many Maryland foster parents work outside the home. Applicants must demonstrate appropriate plans for childcare, transportation, school attendance, medical appointments, visitation, emergencies, and supervision.

Do I need a certain income level?

Maryland does not establish a specific minimum income requirement. Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial stability to meet their household's existing expenses without depending upon foster care reimbursement payments.

How much pre-service training is required?

Applicants must successfully complete the Maryland-approved resource parent pre-service training program assigned by their Local Department of Social Services or licensed child placement agency before becoming licensed.

Is continuing education required?

Yes. Licensed Maryland resource parents complete ongoing in-service training to maintain approval. Additional specialized training may be required depending upon the needs of children placed in the home.

Is a home study required?

Yes. Every applicant completes a comprehensive family home study that includes interviews, references, background investigations, home visits, assessment of family strengths, and evaluation of the family's ability to meet children's needs.

Will everyone in my household undergo background checks?

Applicants and covered adult household members must complete fingerprint-based criminal background checks and Child Protective Services record reviews. Additional clearances may be required for people who previously lived in other states.

Can I have pets?

Yes. Pets are permitted provided they are healthy, appropriately vaccinated when applicable, safely supervised, and do not present a danger to foster children.

Can I own firearms?

Yes. Firearms must be unloaded, securely locked, and inaccessible to children. Ammunition must be stored separately in a locked location.

Can foster children share bedrooms?

Yes, provided bedroom arrangements comply with Maryland licensing requirements concerning children's ages, genders, developmental needs, safety, privacy, and available space.

Can I choose the ages of children I foster?

Yes. Applicants identify their preferred age ranges, sibling groups, placement types, and the medical, developmental, and behavioral needs they believe they can safely support.

Can I decline a placement?

Yes. Foster parents should accept only placements they believe they can safely and appropriately meet. Families are encouraged to gather as much information as possible before making a placement decision.

Will I receive financial assistance?

Yes. Licensed foster parents receive monthly maintenance payments to help offset the ordinary costs of caring for children placed in their homes. Additional assistance may be available depending upon the child's needs.

Do foster children receive healthcare?

Yes. Children in Maryland foster care generally receive healthcare coverage through Maryland Medicaid, including medical, dental, behavioral health, vision, prescription, developmental, and specialty care services.

Is respite care available?

Yes. Approved respite services may be available to support foster families and help maintain placement stability, depending upon agency resources and the child's individual needs.

Can I adopt a child placed with me?

Possibly. If reunification and other permanency options are no longer appropriate and adoption becomes the child's approved permanency plan, the current foster family may be considered as a potential adoptive resource.

Does foster placement guarantee adoption?

No. Foster care is intended to provide temporary care while the court determines the child's permanent plan. Many children reunify with their parents or are placed with relatives before adoption is considered.

Does Maryland prioritize kinship placements?

Yes. Maryland gives preference to safe placements with relatives or other individuals who have an established relationship with the child whenever appropriate.

Who do I contact to report suspected child abuse or neglect?

Reports may be made to the local Department of Social Services in the county where the child lives or to local law enforcement. Emergencies should always be reported by calling 911.

State Agency

Maryland Department of Human Services — Social Services Administration

Phone

410-767-7000

Email

Applicants should contact the Local Department of Social Services serving their county or Baltimore City. General inquiries may be submitted through the Maryland Department of Human Services website.

Address

Maryland Department of Human Services, 311 West Saratoga Street, Baltimore, MD 21201