The Allegheny County Department of Human Services contracts with a network of non-profit agencies to recruit, train and approve foster parents in Allegheny County. Current foster parents are under contract with one of these agencies.
Child Care
Finding a reliable, safe place to care for your foster child is important. Resources are available to help.
Child Care Information Services (CCIS)
All kinship and foster caregivers who are working or in school qualify for subsidized child care provided by CCIS.
PA DHS Child Care Providers
In order to qualify for its subsidies, CCIS requires that caregivers choose a child care facility ranked two “STARS” or higher by the Keystone STARS initiative. This COMPASS database allows users to filter child care providers based on location and the number of STARS.
Peer Support
Two family support partners from Allegheny Family Network (AFN), who are experienced foster and adoptive parents, are available to assist individuals who are fostering teens and young adults.
Services include
- Help to complete the application, training and certification process of becoming a foster parent.
- In-home sessions to make the foster parent aware of all available resources (legal, educational, community-based, recreational) to promote the successful placement of the teen in the family.
- Structured training sessions to help foster parents participate effectively in court hearings, treatment planning sessions and Individualized Education Plan development.
- Access to the AFN Chat Line (1-888-273-2361), a confidential support line (not a crisis line), that operates from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Access to regular AFN educational and social events held throughout the year.
For additional information regarding the services available to families who foster teens and young adults, please contact the Allegheny Family Network at 412-246-2030.
Trainings
All foster parents are required to receive training hours each year to maintain their certification. In Allegheny County, most foster care agencies participate in a training cooperative that offers a broad spectrum of trainings at convenient times and locations. Please talk with a representative at your foster care agency to find out how many hours they require. Then review the schedule below to see what topics, times and locations best fit your needs. Please remember to RSVP so the trainer can make the appropriate preparations.
Resource Parent Training Calendar(PDF, 4MB)
Related Information
Prudent Parenting - Foster Parent Tip Sheet(PDF, 313KB)
Provides a quick overview of ways foster parents can bring normalcy to the lives of the children and youth in their care.
Stepping Up for Kids - what government and communities should do to support kinship families(PDF, 2MB)
Examines the challenges and rewards of providing kinship care and makes suggestions to improve the circumstances in kinship families to promote better outcomes for children. Allegheny County is spotlighted on page 11. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, May 2012
Kinship Care in Pa. - Support for Families with Grandparents and Other Kin Raising Children(PDF, 4MB)
Published by The Pennsylvania State University, 2005
What's Happening in Dependency Court - An Activity Book for Children Going to Court in Pennsylvania
Young children who are removed from their birth families due to abuse or neglect can find helpful information in this age-appropriate booklet. Foster and kinship parents may find it a useful tool to help children understand what is happening in their lives. Available as a pdf and for order on the Pa. Office of Children and Families in the Courts website.