Foster and Adoptive Family Services
Requirements For Becoming a Resource Parent

 Current Board Rates - 2009 
1. Meet the minimum age qualification: 18 years old. Resource parents may be married, single, widowed, or divorced.

2. Provide bedroom space for the foster child. Each child must have his/her own bed

3. Provide sufficient space for the foster child’s personal belongings

4. Complete a NJ Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) resource parent application

5. Attend the DYFS Resource Parent Pre-Service Training. Both adults in a two-parent household must attend the training program

6. Provide references from:
•three personal friends
•current employer (for adult applicants in the household employed outside of the home)
•school/day care (for school-age children)
•Physician (medical references on all household members)

7. Cooperate with State and Federal police checks. Fingerprints will be taken on all adult household members to process the State and Federal Criminal History checks. In addition, DYFS will conduct a review of its internal records to determine whether the applicant or any household member has neglected or abused a child in the past

8. Participate in a personal interview with a DYFS representative. All household members will be interviewed

9. Allow a DYFS representative to visit your home to assess minimum physical housing standards

10. Provide sufficient income to meet the needs of the entire family. Foster care board payments are to be used for the foster child’s expenses only.

(Exceptions to these requirements can be considered under special circumstances)

Currently Basic Board Rates

Foster care board payments are not taxable income.

Monthly Basic Rate
0 - 5 years of age $713.00
6-9 years of age $765.00
10-12 years of age $790.00
13 and over $838.00

Clothing Allowance Daily
0 - 5 years of age $2.27
6-9 years of age $2.27
10-12 years of age $2.27
13 and over $2.96

Medicaid and monthly clothing allowances are also provided.

DYFS Policy requires that each child receives an initial clothing check then an ongoing inventory is made of the child's clothing needs, (I.C. 420) for any additional clothing checks to be furnished.

Once you are approved as a resource parent, the board payments you receive for children in foster care placed in your home will be based on the age and special needs of the child.

For more information call:

FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE FAMILY SERVICES
1-800-222-0047
Monday – Friday
9am – 6pm