How to Become a Foster Parent in Wyoming

Description

Foster care in Wyoming is a temporary service intended to protect the safety and well-being of children and youth who cannot remain in their homes. Foster parents provide nurturing, supervision, food, clothing, housing, transportation, recreation, educational support, healthcare coordination, stability, and participation in the child's treatment and permanency planning while the family works toward reunification or another court-approved permanency outcome.

Agency

The Wyoming Department of Family Services administers the state's foster-care program and certifies foster homes. Local DFS offices and regional foster-care coordinators recruit, assess, train, certify, and support foster families throughout the state. Licensed child-placing agencies may also recruit and supervise foster homes for children placed through their programs.

Who Can Apply

Adults from a variety of family structures may apply to foster in Wyoming. Applicants may be single or part of a couple and may rent or own their home. They must be at least 21 years old, financially stable, in good physical and emotional health, and able to satisfy Wyoming's criminal-history and child-protection background requirements.

Average Time To License

The certification process generally takes several months and includes inquiry, orientation, application paperwork, pre-service education, references, household interviews, criminal and child-protection background checks, health documentation, a family assessment, and inspection of the residence.

Website

Visit the official agency website

Minimum Age

Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

Residency

Applicants must have a stable residence that is available for assessment and meets Wyoming foster-home certification requirements. Prospective foster parents begin the process through the Department of Family Services office or foster-care coordinator serving their county.

Marital Status

Both single adults and couples may become foster parents in Wyoming. When applicants are married or share a household with a partner, the agency evaluates the relationship, household stability, communication, caregiving responsibilities, and each adult's commitment to fostering.

Income Requirements

Applicants must be financially stable and able to meet their household's existing expenses without depending upon foster-care reimbursement as their primary source of income. DFS may review employment, income, expenses, debts, insurance, and the family's overall financial condition.

Home Ownership

Applicants may rent or own their residence. The home must provide adequate space, utilities, sanitation, safety, privacy, and sleeping arrangements for the number and needs of children approved for placement.

Bedroom Requirements

Each foster child must have an approved sleeping arrangement with an individual bed or age-appropriate crib, clean bedding, adequate space, ventilation, lighting, privacy, and storage. DFS evaluates room-sharing arrangements according to each child's age, sex, relationships, developmental needs, behavior, trauma history, and individual safety considerations.

Transportation

Foster parents must provide or arrange reliable transportation for school, family visitation, medical and dental appointments, therapy, court proceedings, treatment-team meetings, activities, placement transitions, and emergencies. Drivers must be properly licensed, vehicles must be registered and insured, and children must use legally required safety restraints.

Health Requirements

Applicants must be in good physical and emotional health and capable of meeting the daily demands of caring for children who may have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, separation, or loss. DFS may require medical statements, examinations, mental-health information, or other professional evaluations when necessary to determine caregiver suitability.

Pet Policy

Pets and other animals may be kept in a Wyoming foster home when they are safely maintained and do not pose a risk to children. DFS may evaluate vaccinations, veterinary care, sanitation, containment, temperament, bite or aggression history, and the family's plan for supervising interactions between children and animals.

Firearm Policy

Firearms, ammunition, bows, hunting equipment, and other weapons must be securely stored and inaccessible to foster children. DFS evaluates the family's storage arrangements and may require locked storage, separate ammunition storage, trigger or cable locks, or additional safeguards based upon the ages and needs of children placed in the home.

Contact Agency

Prospective foster parents begin by contacting their local Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) office or regional foster-care coordinator. Staff explain certification requirements, foster-parent responsibilities, available training, reimbursement, placement needs, foster-to-adopt opportunities, and the expectation that foster parents actively support reunification whenever it is safe and appropriate.

Attend Orientation

Applicants attend an informational orientation introducing Wyoming's foster-care system, the certification process, trauma-informed caregiving, child development, attachment, grief and loss, positive discipline, confidentiality, mandatory reporting, educational advocacy, medical care responsibilities, cultural awareness, family visitation, permanency planning, and collaboration with birth families and child welfare professionals.

Choose Agency

Most foster homes in Wyoming are certified through the Department of Family Services. Some families may work with licensed child-placing agencies that recruit, train, supervise, and support foster homes serving specialized populations or specific placement programs.

Documents Needed

• Completed foster home application
• Government-issued identification
• Social Security numbers or identifying information for background screening
• Household member information
• Current and previous residential history
• Marriage certificate when applicable
• Divorce decree when applicable
• Medical examination forms
• Health statements when required
• Personal references
• Employment verification
• Proof of household income
• Financial information
• Criminal background check authorization forms
• Child abuse registry authorization forms
• Fingerprint authorization forms
• Driver's licenses
• Vehicle registration
• Proof of automobile insurance
• Homeowners or renters insurance
• Emergency contact information
• Emergency evacuation plan
• Bedroom information
• Pet vaccination records when applicable
• Firearm and ammunition storage information when applicable
• Water safety information when applicable
• Pre-service training documentation
• Additional DFS certification forms

Required

Yes

Description

Wyoming requires prospective foster parents to participate in orientation before certification. Orientation introduces the child welfare system, foster-parent expectations, trauma-informed care, attachment, child development, behavior management, confidentiality, mandatory reporting, family visitation, educational advocacy, medical care, permanency planning, reunification, and teamwork with birth families and child welfare professionals.

How To Register

Applicants register through their local Department of Family Services office or regional foster-care coordinator. Staff provide orientation schedules, application materials, training information, and an overview of local placement needs.

Duration

Orientation is generally completed during one or more introductory sessions before applicants begin the full certification process. Scheduling varies by region and instructor availability.

Application Process

Following orientation, applicants submit a foster-home application and begin the certification assessment. The process includes pre-service education, criminal and child-protection background checks, fingerprinting, references, health documentation, interviews, financial review, home inspections, and evaluation of the family's ability to safely care for children while supporting reunification, permanency planning, and family connections.

Required Documents

• Completed foster home application
• Government-issued identification
• Household member information
• Residential history
• Criminal background check authorization forms
• Child abuse registry authorization forms
• Fingerprint authorization forms
• Personal references
• Employment verification
• Income verification
• Financial documentation
• Medical examination forms
• Health statements when required
• Marriage certificate when applicable
• Divorce documentation when applicable
• Driver's licenses
• Vehicle registration
• Proof of automobile insurance
• Homeowners or renters insurance
• Emergency plans
• Bedroom information
• Pet vaccination records when applicable
• Firearm storage disclosures when applicable
• Pre-service training documentation
• Additional DFS certification forms

References Required

Applicants provide personal references from individuals who can evaluate their character, maturity, relationships, parenting abilities, emotional stability, financial responsibility, dependability, and ability to provide a safe, nurturing home. DFS may also request employer or professional references when appropriate.

Interview Process

Certification specialists conduct multiple interviews with applicants and household members covering motivation for fostering, family history, parenting philosophy, discipline practices, communication, relationships, finances, employment, trauma-informed care, child development, physical and emotional health, support systems, placement preferences, cultural awareness, confidentiality, reunification, substance-use history, criminal history, and the family's ability to work cooperatively with birth families, schools, medical providers, and the child welfare team.

Required

Yes

Curriculum

Wyoming requires prospective foster parents to complete Department of Family Services (DFS) approved pre-service education before certification. Training prepares caregivers to understand trauma, attachment, child development, abuse and neglect, behavior management, positive discipline, grief and loss, cultural awareness, confidentiality, mandatory reporting, educational advocacy, medical care responsibilities, permanency planning, reunification, and collaboration with birth families and child welfare professionals.

Required Hours

Applicants must successfully complete Wyoming's required pre-service foster-parent training before certification. Additional specialized instruction and ongoing annual training are required after certification, with requirements varying according to the foster home's approval level and the needs of children served.

Online Available

Many portions of Wyoming's pre-service education may be offered through virtual or hybrid instruction depending on the region and instructor availability. Certain certification activities, including home visits and interviews, must still be completed in person.

Certification

Applicants receive documentation after completing all required pre-service education. Certified foster parents must continue completing ongoing training to maintain certification and improve their ability to meet children's changing needs.

Required

Yes

Interviews

DFS licensing specialists conduct multiple interviews with applicants and household members to evaluate parenting philosophy, motivation to foster, family relationships, communication, physical and emotional health, finances, support systems, discipline practices, child development knowledge, trauma-informed caregiving skills, placement preferences, and the family's ability to provide a safe and nurturing environment.

Home Visits

Certification specialists conduct one or more home visits to evaluate compliance with Wyoming foster-home certification standards. The residence is reviewed for cleanliness, structural safety, sanitation, utilities, emergency preparedness, smoke detectors, sleeping arrangements, medication storage, firearm storage, hazardous materials, pets, water hazards, and overall suitability for children.

Topics Covered

• Motivation for fostering
• Family history
• 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 families
• Cultural awareness
• Financial stability
• Employment responsibilities
• Transportation planning
• Emergency preparedness
• Support systems
• Physical health
• Mental health
• Substance-use history
• Criminal history review
• Child protection history
• Confidentiality
• Mandatory reporting
• Placement preferences
• Household strengths and challenges
• Working with the child welfare team

Timeline

The family assessment is completed throughout the certification process. Completion depends upon training schedules, background checks, references, interviews, inspections, submission of required documentation, and correction of any identified deficiencies. Most applicants complete certification within several months.

Bedroom Rules

Each foster child must have a safe, age-appropriate bed or crib with clean bedding. Bedrooms must provide adequate floor space, lighting, ventilation, privacy, and storage. Room-sharing arrangements are evaluated according to children's ages, genders, developmental needs, sibling relationships, trauma histories, behaviors, and Wyoming certification requirements.

Smoke Detectors

Working smoke detectors must be properly installed throughout the residence and maintained in good operating condition. Certification specialists verify their operation during home inspections.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Homes with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, or attached garages must maintain working carbon monoxide detectors as required by Wyoming law and local building codes.

Fire Extinguisher

Homes should maintain accessible fire extinguishers and emergency evacuation plans. Household members should understand evacuation procedures and emergency response responsibilities.

Medications

Prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, controlled substances, medical supplies, and sharps must be securely stored and inaccessible to children. Certain medications may require locked storage depending on the child's needs and DFS recommendations.

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning products, chemicals, pesticides, poisonous materials, fuels, alcohol, sharp tools, and other hazardous substances must be stored safely where children cannot access them.

Firearms

Firearms, ammunition, bows, hunting equipment, and other weapons must be stored securely and inaccessible to foster children. Ammunition should be stored separately, and DFS evaluates firearm storage during certification visits.

Pools

Swimming pools, hot tubs, ponds, irrigation ditches, rivers, lakes, and other water hazards must have appropriate safety protections such as fencing, locked gates, covers, alarms, rescue equipment, supervision plans, or other safeguards approved by DFS.

Pets

Pets are permitted when healthy, vaccinated as appropriate, safely supervised, and not dangerous to children. DFS may review veterinary records, sanitation, containment, temperament, and supervision practices.

Vehicle Requirements

Vehicles transporting foster children must be legally registered, properly insured, safely maintained, and driven by licensed operators. Foster children must always use age-appropriate child safety seats, booster seats, seat belts, or other legally required restraints.

Fingerprinting

Wyoming requires fingerprint-based criminal-history background checks for foster-parent applicants and other required adult household members as part of the certification process.

Child Abuse Registry

Applicants undergo child abuse and neglect registry screening through Wyoming and any other states where required based on prior residency. DFS reviews all available child-protection history before approving certification.

Criminal History

DFS reviews state and federal criminal-history records, child-protection findings, references, interviews, prior licensing history, and other available information when determining whether applicants meet Wyoming certification requirements. Applicants must disclose arrests, convictions, deferred judgments, probation, parole, and other relevant legal history.

Disqualifying Offenses

Certain criminal convictions, substantiated child abuse or neglect findings, violent crimes, sexual offenses, homicide, crimes against children, human trafficking, certain drug offenses, and other offenses identified by Wyoming law permanently or temporarily prohibit foster-home certification. Other offenses may receive individualized review when permitted by law.

Additional Checks

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

Steps

• Contact the Wyoming Department of Family Services.
• Attend orientation.
• Submit the foster-home application.
• Complete required pre-service education.
• Provide references.
• Submit health documentation.
• Complete fingerprinting.
• Complete criminal and child-protection background checks.
• Participate in household interviews.
• Complete home inspections.
• Correct any identified safety concerns.
• Receive foster-home certification.
• Accept child placements.
• Complete ongoing annual training.
• Maintain certification requirements.

Average Timeline

Certification typically requires several months depending on training availability, background-check processing, interviews, inspections, references, documentation, and agency workload.

Renewal Requirements

Certified foster homes must complete periodic recertification by maintaining compliance with Wyoming certification standards, completing ongoing training, updating required documentation and background checks, participating in home visits, and correcting any identified safety concerns.

Ongoing Training

Wyoming requires foster parents to complete continuing education after certification. Additional specialized instruction may be required based on the needs of children placed in the home or specialized foster-care programs.

How Placements Work

After certification, Wyoming foster families may receive placement requests based upon the child's individual needs, the foster home's approved capacity, the caregivers' training and experience, geographic location, household composition, available sleeping space, and ability to meet the child's physical, emotional, developmental, educational, behavioral, medical, cultural, and permanency needs. DFS prioritizes placements that preserve family, sibling, school, tribal, and community relationships whenever safely possible.

Can Decline Placements

Yes. Foster parents may decline any placement that is not appropriate for their household, experience, schedule, approved capacity, or placement preferences. Families should ask about the child's age, health, medications, behaviors, trauma history, supervision needs, school arrangements, family-contact schedule, sibling relationships, permanency goal, transportation needs, and known safety concerns before accepting placement.

Emergency Placements

Wyoming uses certified foster homes for emergency, short-notice, respite, and temporary placements. Emergency requests may occur during evenings, weekends, holidays, or other urgent circumstances. Complete information about the child may not be available immediately and should be provided as DFS gathers additional records.

Sibling Groups

Wyoming has a significant need for families able to care for sibling groups. DFS seeks to place siblings together whenever doing so is safe and in their best interests. When siblings cannot live in the same home, the treatment team works to preserve their relationships through visits, calls, virtual communication, shared activities, photographs, letters, and other appropriate contact.

Age Preferences

During certification, foster families identify the ages, number of children, sibling groups, placement durations, developmental disabilities, behavioral needs, medical conditions, and specialized circumstances they are prepared to accept. Placement workers use these preferences and the home's approved capacity when considering potential matches.

Monthly Board Rate

Wyoming reimburses certified foster parents for the reasonable costs of caring for a foster child, including food, clothing, housing, supervision, recreation, transportation, and ordinary personal expenses. The maintenance payment varies according to the child's age and assessed needs, and additional payment may be authorized for children requiring specialized care.

Clothing Allowance

Foster-care maintenance payments help cover routine clothing expenses. Additional assistance may be authorized when a child enters care without adequate clothing or needs seasonal clothing, school uniforms, specialized footwear, replacement items, or clothing related to extraordinary circumstances.

Daycare Assistance

Childcare assistance may be available when necessary to support foster-parent employment, education, required training, court participation, healthcare appointments, family-contact responsibilities, or other approved activities. Eligibility, authorization, provider requirements, and payment arrangements are determined by DFS and the child's case plan.

Medical Coverage

Children in Wyoming foster care are generally covered by Medicaid for healthcare and psychological services. Coverage may include medical, hospital, prescription, dental, vision, behavioral-health, developmental, and other medically necessary care.

Mileage Reimbursement

Transportation assistance or mileage reimbursement may be available for authorized travel related to family visitation, healthcare, therapy, court proceedings, school, treatment-team meetings, placement transitions, training, and other case-plan responsibilities. Foster parents must follow DFS approval and documentation procedures.

Additional Benefits

Additional assistance may include respite care, specialized maintenance payments, childcare, behavioral consultation, crisis support, training, educational assistance, independent-living services for older youth, medical equipment, placement-stabilization services, and referrals to local community resources.

Respite Care

Wyoming foster families may use approved respite-care providers for temporary relief, emergencies, appointments, training, family needs, and placement stabilization. Respite arrangements must comply with DFS approval and certification requirements, and availability varies by community and provider capacity.

Support Groups

DFS offices, foster-care coordinators, community organizations, faith communities, and foster-parent networks may offer support groups, workshops, conferences, peer connections, and educational resources for foster, adoptive, and kinship caregivers.

Mentoring

New foster parents may receive guidance from experienced caregivers, foster-care coordinators, trainers, caseworkers, or peer-support providers. Mentors can help families understand placement calls, court involvement, documentation, reimbursement, family visitation, school issues, caregiver stress, and available services.

Counseling

Children in foster care may receive trauma-focused therapy, behavioral-health services, psychiatric care, developmental treatment, family therapy, substance-use treatment, crisis intervention, and other clinically appropriate services. Foster families may also receive caregiver coaching and behavioral consultation.

Crisis Support

Foster parents should call emergency services whenever immediate danger exists and notify the child's caseworker or DFS promptly. Serious injuries, hospitalizations, abuse allegations, missing children, suicide threats, arrests, medication errors, placement disruptions, and other significant incidents must be reported according to DFS policy.

Available

Yes

Process

Wyoming allows qualified families to pursue foster care and adoption. Children generally enter foster care with reunification as the primary goal, and foster parents are expected to support reasonable reunification efforts. When reunification is no longer possible and parental rights have been terminated, foster parents or relatives may be considered as adoptive resources when adoption serves the child's best interests.

Legal Risk

A foster placement does not guarantee adoption. A child may reunify with parents, move to relatives, enter guardianship, transfer to another placement, or become legally available for adoption depending upon court decisions, family progress, tribal considerations, and the child's permanency plan.

Adoption Subsidy

Eligible children adopted from Wyoming foster care may qualify for adoption assistance. Benefits may include Medicaid, reimbursement of qualifying nonrecurring adoption expenses, and a negotiated maintenance subsidy based upon the child's eligibility and special needs. An adoption-assistance agreement must be completed before adoption finalization.

Available

Yes

Licensing Differences

Wyoming prioritizes placement with relatives or other adults who have a significant relationship with the child whenever placement is safe and appropriate. Relative foster homes generally complete an approval process similar to nonrelative foster homes. Certain training requirements may be modified or waived for relatives depending upon the type of approval, but background checks, safety assessments, and other minimum requirements still apply.

Financial Support

Certified relative foster parents may receive the same foster-care maintenance payment available to similarly situated nonrelative foster parents. Relatives who are not fully certified may not qualify for foster-care maintenance payments but may be eligible for caretaker-relative financial assistance, Medicaid for the child, childcare assistance, adoption assistance, guardianship-related support, and other public benefits.

How old must I be to become a foster parent in Wyoming?

Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

Can a single adult become a foster parent?

Yes. Wyoming accepts qualified single adults and couples as foster-parent applicants.

Do I have to own my home?

No. Applicants may rent or own a residence that meets Wyoming foster-home certification requirements.

Can I work full-time while fostering?

Yes. Many foster parents work full-time and use approved childcare and transportation arrangements when necessary.

Do I need previous parenting experience?

No. Previous parenting experience is not necessarily required, but applicants must complete required training and demonstrate the ability to safely care for children.

What types of foster homes are most needed?

Wyoming particularly needs families for older youth and teenagers, sibling groups, children of color, and children with specialized medical or behavioral needs.

Can I have pets?

Yes. Pets are permitted when they are healthy, safely supervised, and do not present a danger to children.

Can foster parents own firearms?

Yes. Firearms, ammunition, bows, and other weapons must be securely stored and inaccessible to foster children.

May I decline a placement?

Yes. Foster parents may decline placements that are not appropriate for their household, experience, approved capacity, or preferences.

How long does certification take?

Certification commonly takes several months depending upon training, background checks, interviews, documentation, inspections, and DFS scheduling.

Can relatives become foster parents?

Yes. Wyoming prioritizes safe placement with relatives and provides both certified and other approved relative-care options.

Does foster care guarantee that I can adopt?

No. Reunification is generally the initial permanency goal, and a foster placement does not guarantee adoption.

Do children in foster care receive health insurance?

Yes. Children in Wyoming foster care are generally covered by Medicaid for healthcare and psychological services.

Do foster parents receive financial support?

Yes. Foster parents receive reimbursement for the costs of caring for a foster child, with the amount varying according to the child's age and needs.

Is respite care available?

Approved respite care may be available based upon family needs, DFS authorization, and provider availability.

Must foster parents support reunification?

Yes. Unless the court orders otherwise, DFS and foster parents are expected to work toward reunification and support reasonable efforts to resolve the conditions that led to removal.

State Agency

Wyoming Department of Family Services

Phone

307-777-7564

Address

2300 Capitol Avenue, Hathaway Building, Third Floor, Cheyenne, WY 82002

Website

Visit the official agency website

Recruitment Agency

Wyoming Department of Family Services Foster Care Program

Recruitment Phone

307-777-6684

Recruitment Website

https://dfs.wyo.gov/services/child-youth-services/foster-care-foster-care-training/