How to Become a Foster Parent in Vermont

Description

Foster care in Vermont provides temporary, family-based care for children and youth who cannot safely remain with their parents or guardians. Foster parents provide safety, stability, nurturing, supervision, transportation, educational advocacy, medical coordination, emotional support, normal childhood experiences, and connections to parents, siblings, relatives, culture, school, and community while the child's family works toward reunification or another court-approved permanency outcome.

Agency

The Vermont Department for Children and Families, commonly called DCF, oversees the state's public child-welfare and foster-care system through its Family Services Division. Local district offices recruit, assess, approve, license, supervise, and support foster and kinship caregivers while coordinating children's placements, family services, visitation, court involvement, permanency planning, and case management.

Who Can Apply

Responsible single adults and couples who can provide a safe, stable, nurturing home may apply to foster in Vermont. Applicants must satisfy the state's age, health, financial, background-check, training, home-study, and household-safety requirements. Vermont considers applicants without regard to whether they own or rent their home, already have children, or have previous parenting experience, provided they can safely meet the needs of children in foster care.

Average Time To License

Many Vermont applicants may complete the foster-home approval process within approximately three to six months. The actual timeline depends on orientation and training schedules, applicant responsiveness, background checks, references, medical documentation, interviews, home-study scheduling, safety corrections, district-office capacity, and the family's placement preferences.

Website

Visit the official agency website

Minimum Age

Prospective Vermont foster parents must generally be at least 21 years old. Vermont does not establish one standard maximum age, but applicants must demonstrate the maturity, health, energy, judgment, emotional stability, and long-term caregiving capacity necessary to meet children's needs.

Residency

Applicants must reside in a Vermont home that can be assessed and approved under state foster-home standards. Families living outside Vermont who are being considered for placement of a Vermont child must generally complete approval through their own state and the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children before placement may occur.

Marital Status

Qualified single adults, married couples, unmarried couples, divorced adults, and widowed adults may be considered for foster care in Vermont. When two adults share responsibility for the household and intend to parent together, both generally participate in the application, interviews, background checks, training, home study, and approval process.

Income Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient and stable household income to meet their existing financial responsibilities without relying on foster-care reimbursement. DCF may review income, employment, housing expenses, debts, insurance, budgeting, and the family's ability to meet a child's immediate needs before maintenance payments begin.

Home Ownership

Applicants may rent or own their residence. The home must be safe, clean, adequately heated, structurally sound, in good repair, and large enough for the number and ages of children the family intends to foster. Renters may need to confirm that their lease, landlord, insurance, and property rules permit foster children and any necessary safety modifications.

Bedroom Requirements

Each foster child must have an appropriate individual bed or crib, clean mattress, bedding, storage space, privacy, and sufficient sleeping-room space. Bedroom sharing must be appropriate for the children's ages, genders, developmental needs, sibling relationships, trauma histories, and individual safety plans. Foster children generally may not share sleeping space with adults except when specifically approved for an infant or because of a documented child-specific need.

Transportation

Foster parents must have dependable transportation or a reliable transportation plan for family visitation, school, medical and dental appointments, therapy, court hearings, meetings, activities, placement transitions, and emergencies. Vehicles used to transport children must be legally registered, insured, safely maintained, and operated by licensed drivers. Children must use age- and size-appropriate seat belts, car seats, booster seats, or specialized restraints.

Health Requirements

Applicants and household members must be physically and emotionally capable of safely caring for children. DCF may require medical statements, health histories, medication information, or additional professional documentation when a physical health, mental health, substance-use, or cognitive condition could affect caregiving or supervision. A disability or well-managed health condition does not automatically prevent approval.

Pet Policy

Vermont permits pets and other household animals when they are healthy, safely managed, sanitary, appropriately vaccinated, and do not present an unreasonable risk to children. DCF may assess an animal's temperament, bite or aggression history, veterinary care, containment, and the family's plan for supervising interactions with foster children.

Firearm Policy

Applicants must disclose firearms, ammunition, hunting equipment, and other weapons kept in or around the home. Firearms must be unloaded, securely locked, and inaccessible to foster children. Ammunition must also be securely stored, and keys, combinations, or access devices must remain unavailable to children. DCF may require additional safeguards based on the children's ages, behaviors, trauma histories, or safety plans.

Contact Agency

Begin by contacting the Vermont Department for Children and Families Family Services Division through the foster-care inquiry process or the DCF district office serving your community. A resource coordinator or other foster-care staff member can explain Vermont's need for foster homes, eligibility standards, training, home approval, background screening, reimbursement, support services, kinship care, foster-to-adopt possibilities, and the responsibility to support reunification and children's family relationships.

Attend Orientation

Prospective foster parents attend an informational meeting, orientation, or introductory consultation before completing the full approval process. The session explains the purpose of foster care, the experiences of children entering custody, reunification, shared parenting, confidentiality, trauma-informed care, placement expectations, licensing standards, discipline restrictions, normalcy, and collaboration with parents, relatives, caseworkers, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and other members of the child's team.

Choose Agency

Families seeking to care for children in Vermont DCF custody generally work with the Family Services Division and their local DCF district office. Vermont also permits licensed child-placing agencies to approve and supervise certain foster homes or specialized placements. Applicants considering a private, therapeutic, or child-specific program should verify that the organization is properly licensed and determine whether its training, placement, and support requirements differ from those used by DCF.

Documents Needed

• Completed Vermont foster-home application
• Government-issued identification
• Social Security numbers or other identifying information requested for background screening
• Current and previous residential history
• Information about every household member
• Marriage or relationship information when applicable
• Divorce or previous relationship information when applicable
• Criminal-history disclosure forms
• Fingerprint and background-check authorization forms
• Child Protection Registry check authorization
• Out-of-state child abuse and neglect registry checks when applicable
• Personal references
• Prior foster-care, adoption, or child-care licensing information when applicable
• Medical or health statements
• Medication and health-condition information when requested
• Employment information
• Proof of household income
• Household financial information
• Driver's licenses for household drivers
• Vehicle registration
• Proof of automobile insurance
• Homeowners or renters insurance information
• Emergency contact information
• Emergency evacuation and disaster plans
• Bedroom and sleeping-arrangement information
• Pet vaccination records when applicable
• Firearm and ammunition storage information when applicable
• Well-water testing or septic information when applicable
• CPR certification when required
• First Aid certification when required
• Preservice training completion documentation
• Additional releases, acknowledgments, and forms requested by DCF or the approving agency

Required

Yes

Description

Vermont requires prospective foster families to receive information about the foster-care program, agency policies, caregiver responsibilities, and the approval process before placement. Orientation helps applicants make an informed decision by explaining that foster care is normally temporary, reunification is often the initial permanency goal, children may have experienced trauma and disrupted attachments, and foster parents must work cooperatively with children's parents, relatives, DCF staff, courts, schools, therapists, medical providers, and community supports.

How To Register

Prospective applicants may begin through Vermont DCF's foster-care inquiry system or by contacting their local Family Services district office. Foster-care staff provide introductory information, discuss household circumstances and placement interests, answer preliminary questions, and explain how to register for orientation, preservice training, and the foster-home application and assessment process.

Duration

The initial orientation or consultation may be completed in one meeting or through several introductory conversations. It is followed by preservice education, application work, background checks, interviews, home visits, and other licensing requirements. The overall preparation period varies according to class scheduling and the applicant's progress.

Application Process

After orientation, applicants submit Vermont's written foster-home application and cooperate with the Family Services Division or licensed child-placing agency throughout the assessment. The process generally includes preservice training, criminal and child-protection background checks, references, medical and financial information, household interviews, home visits, safety inspection, and evaluation of the family's strengths, limitations, support system, and placement preferences. The Department approves the home only after determining that the applicants and residence meet applicable foster-home rules.

Required Documents

• Completed written foster-home application
• Government-issued identification
• Household member information
• Current and previous address history
• Criminal-history disclosure information
• Fingerprint and background-check authorization forms
• Child Protection Registry authorization
• Out-of-state registry checks when required
• Personal reference information
• Prior agency or licensing references when applicable
• Medical or health-assessment documentation
• Employment information
• Proof of household income
• Household financial information
• Marriage or domestic-partnership information when applicable
• Previous marriage or divorce information when applicable
• Driver's licenses
• Vehicle registration
• Proof of automobile insurance
• Homeowners or renters insurance information
• Emergency and evacuation plans
• Bedroom and sleeping-arrangement information
• Pet health or vaccination records when applicable
• Firearm and ammunition storage disclosures when applicable
• Water-safety or well-water documentation when applicable
• CPR and First Aid documentation when required
• Preservice training records
• Additional DCF or agency forms and releases

References Required

Vermont requires applicants to provide references that assist DCF or the approving agency in evaluating their suitability to care for children. References may be asked about the applicants' character, reliability, judgment, emotional stability, parenting ability, relationships, discipline practices, lifestyle, financial responsibility, and readiness to care for children affected by trauma, abuse, neglect, separation, and loss. When applicants previously fostered, adopted, provided child care, or worked with another child-placing agency, that organization may also be contacted as a reference.

Interview Process

The foster-home evaluation includes personal interviews with applicants and household members who are able to participate. Interviews explore motivation for fostering, childhood and family history, relationships, parenting experience, discipline, communication, conflict resolution, physical and mental health, substance-use history, criminal and child-protection history, finances, employment, cultural humility, support systems, placement preferences, trauma awareness, reunification support, confidentiality, and the family's ability to preserve children's connections with parents, siblings, relatives, identity, school, and community.

Required

Yes

Curriculum

Vermont requires prospective foster parents to complete Department-approved preservice education before accepting placements. Training prepares caregivers to understand the child welfare system, trauma, attachment, child development, abuse and neglect, grief and loss, positive discipline, cultural humility, shared parenting, reunification, mandatory reporting, confidentiality, educational advocacy, behavioral health, medical care, permanency planning, caregiver wellness, and collaboration with DCF, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and children's families.

Required Hours

Vermont requires completion of all Department-approved preservice training before final foster-home approval. Training requirements may include classroom instruction, online learning, independent study, discussion groups, CPR, First Aid, medication administration, water safety, and additional specialized education depending upon the family's placement preferences and the needs of children placed in the home.

Online Available

Yes. Vermont permits portions of preservice education to be completed through online learning and virtual instruction when approved by the Department. Certain licensing activities—including interviews, home visits, safety inspections, and portions of the home assessment—must still be completed in person.

Certification

Applicants receive documentation after successfully completing Vermont's required preservice education. Foster parents must also complete continuing education after licensure, and additional specialized training may be required for therapeutic foster care, medically complex children, infants with prenatal substance exposure, youth with significant behavioral needs, or other specialized placements.

Required

Yes

Interviews

Every Vermont foster family completes a comprehensive home assessment conducted by the Department or an approved child-placing agency. Interviews evaluate parenting philosophy, family relationships, motivation for fostering, communication, emotional stability, physical and mental health, childhood experiences, discipline practices, financial stability, trauma awareness, cultural humility, support systems, placement preferences, and the family's ability to safely care for children while supporting reunification and permanency planning.

Home Visits

Licensing specialists complete one or more home visits to evaluate compliance with Vermont foster-home standards. The residence is inspected for cleanliness, structural safety, emergency preparedness, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, bedroom arrangements, sanitation, medication storage, firearm security, hazardous materials, utilities, pets, water hazards, and the home's overall suitability for children. Additional visits may occur if corrections are required before approval.

Topics Covered

• Motivation for fostering
• Understanding Vermont's child welfare system
• Reunification and permanency
• Family history
• Childhood experiences
• Marriage and family relationships
• Communication skills
• Conflict resolution
• Parenting philosophy
• Positive discipline
• Trauma-informed parenting
• Attachment
• Grief and loss
• Child development
• Behavior management
• Educational advocacy
• Medical care coordination
• Mental health awareness
• Supporting birth-family relationships
• Cultural identity and humility
• Financial stability
• Employment responsibilities
• Transportation planning
• Emergency preparedness
• Support systems
• Physical health
• Mental health
• Substance-use history
• Criminal-history review
• Child Protection Registry history
• Confidentiality
• Mandatory reporting
• Normalcy and prudent parenting
• Placement preferences
• Household strengths and challenges
• Collaboration with DCF and community partners

Timeline

The home-study process generally occurs throughout the overall licensing period and varies according to applicant responsiveness, background-check processing, reference completion, medical documentation, scheduling, required home improvements, and Department workload. Many families complete the overall approval process within approximately three to six months.

Bedroom Rules

Each foster child must have an appropriate individual bed or crib with a clean mattress and bedding. Bedrooms must provide adequate space, privacy, ventilation, lighting, and storage. Sleeping arrangements must consider children's ages, genders, developmental needs, sibling relationships, trauma histories, and individual safety plans. Foster children generally may not share sleeping space with unrelated adults except under approved infant-care circumstances.

Smoke Detectors

Working smoke detectors must be installed and maintained in accordance with Vermont law and licensing requirements. Licensing specialists verify that smoke alarms are properly installed, functional, and maintained throughout the home.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Homes with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, or attached garages must maintain working carbon monoxide detectors as required by Vermont law and foster-home licensing standards.

Fire Extinguisher

Foster homes should maintain readily accessible fire extinguishers and develop emergency evacuation procedures. Families must ensure exits remain unobstructed and household members understand emergency plans.

Medications

Prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, controlled substances, sharps, and medical supplies must be safely stored and inaccessible to children. Controlled medications may require locked storage depending upon the child's age and individual needs.

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning chemicals, detergents, pesticides, poisonous substances, fuels, alcohol, sharp tools, and other hazardous materials must be stored safely and kept inaccessible to children whenever appropriate.

Firearms

Firearms must be unloaded, securely locked, and inaccessible to foster children. Ammunition must also be securely stored separately or within another approved locked storage system. Keys, combinations, or access devices must remain inaccessible to children.

Pools

Swimming pools, hot tubs, ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, and other water hazards must be protected through fencing, locked gates, covers, alarms, supervision plans, rescue equipment, swimming rules, or other safety measures required by DCF.

Pets

Pets are permitted when healthy, appropriately vaccinated, safely supervised, and not dangerous to children. Licensing staff may review veterinary records, sanitation, supervision practices, containment, and animal temperament during the approval process.

Vehicle Requirements

Vehicles transporting foster children must be legally registered, properly insured, safely maintained, and operated by licensed drivers. Foster children must always use age- and size-appropriate seat belts, car seats, booster seats, or specialized restraints as required by Vermont law.

Fingerprinting

Vermont requires fingerprint-supported state and federal criminal-history background checks for foster-parent applicants and adult household members as required by state licensing regulations.

Child Abuse Registry

Applicants and adult household members must successfully complete Vermont Child Protection Registry screening. Applicants who have previously lived in other states may also be required to complete child-abuse and neglect registry checks in those states.

Criminal History

The Department reviews criminal-history records, Child Protection Registry findings, interviews, references, prior licensing history, and other available information when determining whether applicants can safely provide foster care. Applicants must disclose arrests, convictions, deferred adjudications, probation, parole, and other legal matters.

Disqualifying Offenses

Certain criminal convictions and substantiated child-abuse findings permanently disqualify applicants under Vermont and federal law. Crimes involving child abuse, sexual offenses, homicide, domestic violence, serious assault, human trafficking, certain drug offenses, and other serious violent crimes generally prevent foster-home approval. Other offenses may be individually reviewed based upon state law, rehabilitation, and child safety considerations.

Additional Checks

Additional screening may include driving-record reviews, sex offender registry searches, employment verification, prior foster-home licensing history, reference verification, court-record reviews, household composition reviews, and any other evaluations necessary to protect children.

Steps

• Contact Vermont DCF.
• Attend orientation or an informational meeting.
• Submit the foster-home application.
• Complete preservice training.
• Complete CPR and First Aid training when required.
• Provide references.
• Submit medical and financial documentation.
• Complete fingerprinting and background checks.
• Participate in interviews.
• Complete the home assessment.
• Pass the home safety inspection.
• Correct any identified deficiencies.
• Receive foster-home approval or licensure.
• Accept foster-child placements.
• Complete annual continuing education.
• Maintain compliance with licensing standards.

Average Timeline

Many Vermont families complete the approval process within approximately three to six months. Actual timelines depend upon training schedules, background-check processing, references, home-study scheduling, home corrections, applicant responsiveness, and Department workload.

Renewal Requirements

Licensed foster homes must maintain compliance with Vermont licensing standards through periodic renewal, updated documentation, continuing education, home visits, background screening when required, and correction of any identified safety concerns.

Ongoing Training

Vermont foster parents complete ongoing continuing education throughout licensure. Additional specialized instruction may be required depending upon the needs of children placed in the home and the type of foster-care services provided.

How Placements Work

After approval, Vermont foster families receive placement requests based on the child's individual needs, the family's approved placement preferences, available bedroom space, household composition, training, experience, geographic location, and ability to safely meet the child's physical, emotional, educational, developmental, behavioral, cultural, and medical needs. The Department strives to place children in the least restrictive, most family-like setting while preserving sibling relationships, supporting reunification, and maintaining important family and community connections whenever safely possible.

Can Decline Placements

Yes. Vermont foster parents may decline any placement that falls outside their approved capacity, experience, comfort level, household circumstances, or ability to safely care for the child. Families are encouraged to ask questions regarding the child's history, behaviors, medications, medical conditions, visitation schedule, educational needs, trauma history, sibling relationships, permanency plan, and supervision requirements before accepting placement.

Emergency Placements

Vermont relies upon foster families willing to accept emergency placements, including infants, sibling groups, teenagers, and after-hours removals. Because emergency situations develop quickly, complete information may not always be available at placement. Additional information is provided as it becomes available.

Sibling Groups

Whenever safely possible, Vermont works to place siblings together. When siblings cannot remain in the same foster home, DCF seeks to preserve sibling relationships through visitation, phone calls, video communication, shared activities, letters, photographs, and other ongoing contact whenever appropriate.

Age Preferences

During the licensing process, families identify the ages, genders, number of children, sibling groups, developmental disabilities, behavioral challenges, medical conditions, cultural considerations, and placement types they are prepared to accept. Placement staff use these preferences when identifying appropriate placement matches.

Monthly Board Rate

Vermont provides foster-care maintenance payments that help offset the ordinary costs of caring for children placed in licensed foster homes. Payment amounts vary according to the child's age, level of care, placement type, and any specialized services authorized by the Department. Foster-care reimbursement supports the child's needs and is not considered employment income.

Clothing Allowance

Routine clothing expenses are generally expected to be covered through the monthly maintenance payment. Additional clothing assistance may be available when children enter care without appropriate clothing or have extraordinary seasonal, medical, educational, employment, or placement-related needs. Foster parents should follow DCF approval procedures before making purchases requiring reimbursement.

Daycare Assistance

Childcare assistance may be available when necessary to support the child's placement and the foster parent's employment, education, training, medical appointments, court obligations, or other approved activities. Eligibility depends upon the child's circumstances, available funding, provider approval, and DCF authorization.

Medical Coverage

Children placed in Vermont foster care generally receive Medicaid coverage that includes physician services, hospitalization, behavioral health treatment, prescriptions, dental care, vision care, therapy, developmental services, specialty care, and other medically necessary treatment. Foster parents coordinate appointments and follow Department policies regarding medical consent and documentation.

Mileage Reimbursement

Mileage reimbursement or transportation assistance may be available for approved travel associated with visitation, medical appointments, therapy, court hearings, educational activities, placement transitions, licensing responsibilities, and other case-related requirements. Families should follow DCF reimbursement policies and documentation procedures.

Additional Benefits

Depending upon the child's needs, foster families may receive respite care, behavioral consultation, therapeutic services, educational advocacy, childcare assistance, crisis intervention, specialized medical equipment, mentoring, placement stabilization services, independent living support for older youth, and referrals to community resources.

Respite Care

Licensed Vermont foster families may request respite care to provide temporary relief and help maintain placement stability. Respite providers must satisfy applicable approval and background-screening requirements. Availability depends upon local resources and Department approval.

Support Groups

DCF and community organizations provide foster-parent support groups, educational workshops, conferences, peer networking opportunities, and online communities. Topics frequently include trauma-informed care, attachment, behavior management, reunification, caregiver wellness, educational advocacy, permanency planning, and self-care.

Mentoring

Many new foster parents are paired with experienced foster families who provide practical guidance, emotional encouragement, and assistance navigating placements, licensing requirements, case planning, school issues, court involvement, and communication with children's families.

Counseling

Children may receive counseling, trauma-focused therapy, psychiatric services, developmental services, behavioral-health treatment, substance-use treatment, family therapy, and crisis intervention when clinically appropriate. Foster parents may also receive caregiver coaching and behavioral consultation.

Crisis Support

During emergencies involving foster children, caregivers should contact emergency services whenever necessary and notify their assigned DCF worker as soon as possible. Serious injuries, hospitalizations, abuse allegations, missing children, suicide threats, arrests, medication errors, placement disruptions, and other significant incidents must be reported according to Department policy.

Available

Yes

Process

Vermont allows qualified families to pursue both foster care and adoption. Children normally enter foster care with reunification as the primary permanency goal. If reunification cannot safely occur and parental rights are terminated, foster parents may be considered as adoptive resources when adoption is determined to be in the child's best interests.

Legal Risk

Every foster placement carries legal risk because reunification remains the preferred permanency goal whenever it can safely occur. Depending upon court decisions, children may reunify with parents, be placed with relatives, enter guardianship, transfer to another foster home, or become available for adoption.

Adoption Subsidy

Eligible children adopted from Vermont foster care may qualify for adoption assistance that can include monthly financial support, Medicaid coverage, reimbursement of qualifying nonrecurring adoption expenses, and post-adoption services.

Available

Yes

Licensing Differences

Vermont gives priority to placement with relatives and fictive kin whenever safely possible. Relative caregivers may sometimes receive temporary approval while completing licensing requirements. Those seeking ongoing foster-care reimbursement generally complete the same licensing standards, background checks, home assessment, training, and safety requirements as other foster families.

Financial Support

Eligible kinship caregivers may qualify for foster-care maintenance payments, Medicaid for the child, childcare assistance, kinship support services, guardianship assistance, adoption assistance, respite care, legal referrals, and community resources depending upon the child's legal status and caregiver eligibility.

How old do I have to be to become a foster parent in Vermont?

Applicants must generally be at least 21 years old.

Can a single person become a foster parent?

Yes. Qualified single adults may become licensed foster parents.

Do I have to own my home?

No. Applicants may rent or own their residence if it meets Vermont licensing standards.

Can I work full-time and foster?

Yes. Many Vermont foster parents work outside the home while fostering.

Do I need parenting experience?

No. Previous parenting experience is not required.

Can I have pets?

Yes. Pets are allowed when safely supervised, healthy, vaccinated, and not dangerous to children.

Can I own firearms?

Yes. Firearms must be unloaded, securely locked, and inaccessible to foster children. Ammunition must also be securely stored.

Can I decline a placement?

Yes. Foster parents may decline placements that are not appropriate for their family or licensure.

How long does licensing usually take?

Many families complete the approval process within approximately three to six months.

Can relatives become foster parents?

Yes. Vermont encourages placement with relatives and fictive kin whenever safely possible.

Does fostering guarantee adoption?

No. Foster care is designed primarily to achieve safe reunification whenever possible.

Do foster children receive medical insurance?

Yes. Most children in Vermont foster care receive Medicaid coverage.

Do foster parents receive financial assistance?

Yes. Licensed foster parents receive maintenance reimbursement to help meet the child's daily needs.

Is respite care available?

Yes. Approved respite services are available depending on local resources and Department approval.

Must I support reunification?

Yes. Foster parents are expected to actively support reunification whenever it is safe and appropriate.

State Agency

Vermont Department for Children and Families – Family Services Division

Phone

1-800-649-5285

Address

280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-1080

Website

Visit the official agency website

Recruitment Agency

Vermont Department for Children and Families

Recruitment Phone

1-800-649-5285

Recruitment Website

https://dcf.vermont.gov/foster-care