Foster Care Program
About the Foster Care Program?
The Navajo Nation Foster Care program assists in out-of-home placements for Navajo and Native American children when family is unavailable. On the Navajo Nation, tribal foster parents are needed to ensure children are placed within their communities and tribe. Foster parents can be licensed and receive monthly financial support to aid in caring for the children.
Who can become foster parents?
A foster parent is a person who acts as a temporary parent and guardian for a child who is not their own biological child and who has lost or been removed from their natural parents’ care.
Becoming a foster parent requires flexibility, a willingness to grow and learn, but most of all, a commitment to provide a safe, stable, nurturing and loving home for a child.
Foster Parents can/may be:
- married or single
- be in any income group.
- have children of your own or not.
- live in a house, apartment or hogan.
- reside on or off the Navajo Nation.
- be Navajo or Non-Navajo.
What kind of foster parents does the program looking for?
The program is looking for parents who are:
- supportive of siblings staying together.
- open and affirming of LGBTQIA+ children and youth.
- aware that foster care is temporary.
- open to care for medically fragile/ medically complex children.
- open to caring for children with emotional, behavioral and physical needs.
- supportive of parents’ reunification.
What is the process?
- Contact any Department of Family Services office/ Foster Care Worker.
- Request a foster care application packet.
- Submit foster care application packet and appropriate documentation to Foster Care Administration. Foster Care Worker will begin to schedule home visits.
- Fingerprint and background checks will be initiated.
- Home visits will be made.
- Home Study will be completed.
- Foster Care Specialist will refer you to various trainings.
- License is completed.
- Licenses are renewed annually.
What are the requirements?
The Paperwork
- Application for Foster Care
- Household Budget Form
- Service Plan
- Authorization for Release of Information
The Training Classes
- Foster Care Regulations (“Pre-Placement Training”) – 10 hours
- Continuing education (8 hours)
- Food Handlers Training (4 hours)
- CPR (4 Hours)
- First Aid (4 hours)
- Parenting Skills (8 hours)
- Specialized Training (6 hours)
The Tasks
- Placement Agreement
- Foster Home Study
- Is completed on whole family in the household.
- Criminal History Clearance Check
- Federal/Tribal Clearances
- Completed on all adult household members
- Fingerprint clearance completed by DFS Foster Care Administration
- Free – No cost to Applicant
- Navajo Nation Criminal/Traffic History
- https://ims.navajo-nsn.gov/Criminal-Traffic-History
- From 18th birthday.
- Fee’s paid by the applicant
- Child Protective Services/ Child Neglect Clearances
The Records Collection
- Physical Examination(s)
- On all adult household members.
- Current Immunization Records
- On all children of the household, 0 to 18 years old.
- Reference Letters
- Minimum of 3 reference letters.
- Non-relative references.
- Preliminary Environmental Survey (NDSS)
- House Assessment
- Standards of the Home
- Environmental Health
- Fire Safety
- Car Safety Seat
Some Basic Facts:
Basic Facts
Choice
You can choose what type of children you want placed in your home, including their age and gender.
Privacy
Your information is kept private and confidential, and you do not have contact with the birth parents or family.
Licensing
There are two kids of licenses, the regular license and a specialized one, which requires additional training. Some of the children have special needs and may require specialized care, which you can be trained to provide and receive a specialized license.
Cost
Foster parenting is volunteering, but the Navajo Nation does provide cost-of-care reimbursements to licensed foster parents on a monthly basis for each child placed in the foster home.
Maintenance payments are based on the age and needs of the child or youth.
Additional support can be available including reimbursement for transportation expenses.
