Types of Foster Parents

Emergency Foster Parent

It may just be for 1 week…but you can make a difference in a child’s life Forever

Situation 
Newborns, toddlers, children and teens need a place to stay when their families are in crisis.  

Outcome Possibilities  
Once the crisis is over and the home is safe—these children will be reunited with their families whenever possible. If this is not possible, they will be placed in a qualified foster home or with a foster/adopt family.

Foster Parent

Your home can be a haven.

Situation  
Children and teens need a place to short- or longer-term stay when their families need help and can’t give them proper care.  

Outcome Possibilities 
Once crisis is over and the home is safe, children and parents will be reunited. If this isn’t possible, children may stay in a qualified foster home or with a foster/adopt family. 

Foster / Adopt Forever Family

It’s all about moments. You can be there for all the important ones. Building a family is a rewarding experience, and adopting a child is a beautiful way to do it. 

Situation  
Children and teens need a place to live when their families need help and can’t give them proper care.  

Outcome Possibilities
Children in foster/adopt homes have the option of being adopted if it’s not possible to reunite them safely with their families. 

Host Home / Room Rental

No one just magically becomes a successful adult. It takes time, stability and opportunity. And your spare room can help a young person transition smoothly into adulthood.

Situation  
Young people in Sonoma County (ages 16-24) who are exiting foster care need a safe place to live so they can continue learning and enter adulthood fully prepared. These young adults need a room to rent. They need a stable place to live while they continue schooling, apply for jobs, and finish programs that help them with life skills. They also need a guiding hand. A supportive adult. A champion.  

You have a spare room in your home and desire to be a role model for a local young adult, and can participate in weekly check-ins with TLC staff. 

Outcome Possibilities 
Young adults in the Transitional Housing Program exit the program when they are ready, and typically live fully independent lives.  

Next Steps 
Talk with TLC Child Family Services about the Transitional Housing Program.

Kinship Care / Friends and Family

Children who grow up with love - learn love.  

Caring for a child of a relative or friend keeps them connected to their familiar community. 

Situation 

Children and teens need stable relatives to stay with when their families can’t give them proper care. Friends and neighbors can also offer a foster home to a child they know. 

Outcome Possibilities 

Children and teens in kinship or extended family foster homes have the option of being adopted if it’s not possible to reunite them safely with their families.

The agency that trains and supports Kinship Care Foster Parents is Lilliput Families.

Call (707) 565-4274 | Email SonomaFosterCare@schsd.org