Foster Care Program

We believe in the Virginia Childrens Transformation which means that we work with families to prevent out of home placement, offering services that will assist the family to safely maintain the child in their own home. By Federal and State laws we make reasonable efforts to prevent out of home placements for children. Should a family be unable or unwilling to cooperate and provide services to their child, we will request that the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court require that the families participates a minimum of six months to prevent out of home placement. We will refer families to the Chesapeake Interagency Consortium for review by the FAPT Teams to determine other community services that may be able to provide assistance to the family. We also will identify relatives, family friends, and others who may be potential support to the family and child, who may provide respite for the family.

Can I bring my child to the Chesapeake Social Services and place my child in foster care?

No, every effort must be made to prevent foster care placement. Foster Care placement takes place through the Juvenile Court. If you are having problems with your child, the Department will assess the needs of the family and refer the family for services.

How does a child become involved in the Foster Care System?

A child becomes involved with the foster care system through an abuse/neglect petition filed by the Chesapeake Child Protective Service Unit in which the child is found by the Chesapeake Juvenile Court to be at imminent risk of harm. Delinquent children are sometimes placed in foster care, as well as children whose legal guardians have been relieved of custody by the Juvenile Court.

Foster/Resource Parents

Foster/resource parents provide a safe, caring, and family home for a child ranging in age from birth to 18 who has been temporarily separated from his/her own family for various reasons.  The child is in the custody of the Chesapeake Department of Human Services.

Resource parents are foster parents who meet the criteria to adopt if the foster child in their home was freed for adoption.

Foster/resource parents provide a suitable home for the child until the parents can get the child back, the child is placed with relatives, the child is freed for adoption, or another permanent arrangement is made for the child.
 
In addition to completing foster/resource home studies on people who request to become foster parents for the Chesapeake Department of Human Services, our agency also completes foster/resource home studies on families who reside in Chesapeake who are interested in becoming foster/resource parents for a relative's child that is in the custody of an agency in another state. These home study requests must come from our interstate office in Richmond. For more information about Interstate/Intercountry Placement of Children (ICPC) ICPC Information

Chesapeake Department of Human Services offers two foster parenting options:  Regular Maintenance Foster/Resource Parenting and Specialized Foster Parenting described below.  Please see our Frequently Asked Questions here:  Frequently Asked Questions

Regular Maintenance Foster/Resource Parenting:

How do I become a foster/resource parent?

Chesapeake Human Services appreciates its foster/resource parents, and welcomes the opportunity to include more dedicated families in its foster/resource parent pool. The first step to become a foster/resource parent is to talk with a social worker in the Foster Care Home Finding Unit. The social worker will ask you some basic questions and answer any questions that you may have. This can be done on the telephone or in person. You may call the Foster Care Home Finding unit at (757) 382-2258 or (757) 382-2246.

The next step is to attend the PRIDE pre-service foster/resource parent training. The Foster Care social worker will send you a letter informing you of when and where the training will be held. The training classes are for nine (9) weeks, three (3) hours each session from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. If there are two parents in the home, both are required to attend.  This training is a commitment-free opportunity to learn about foster parenting.  While you attend the classes, you will be given the necessary paperwork to become a foster/resource parent.  Once you complete the classes and paperwork, the Home Finding unit will conduct a home study to make sure you meet the requirements to be a foster/resource parent.  Information Required to Become a Foster Resource Parent

Basic requirements to be a foster parent:

• 21 years of age or older
• Married or single (no co-habitation/living together)
• Physically and mentally healthy
• Income to meet your own needs
• Safe, loving and stable home
• Space for a child in your home (bed and clothing space)
• Working telephone
• Reliable transportation

Responsibilities of the foster parent:

• Provide a loving, safe, and healthy family for the child
• Accept that the child may have different ideas, beliefs, and ways
• Flexible and understanding
• Work with schools, doctors, therapists and others to meet the child's needs
• Help the child grow and mature
• Willingness to work as a team with the social worker, birth parent, and the child
• Help the child to maintain attachment to his family by assisting with visits
• Prepare the child to return home, or if they cannot go home to be adopted, or to live independently
• Participation in family partnership meetings

Support for foster/resource parents:

• Training classes prior to becoming a foster/resource parent
• Ongoing training classes on issues that are of concern or interest
• Social worker support and guidance
• Monthly monetary payment for room and board, clothing, personal care, allowance, and other expenses
• Possible additional monthly money payment for supervision, support, and additional services to a child with an emotional, behavioral, or medical/personal need
• Yearly clothing allowance
• Medical coverage for the child
• Child care assistance for working foster parents

Chesapeake Connections Specialized Foster Parenting:

Chesapeake Connections is a specialized foster care program that serves youth in foster care who have significant emotional and behavioral issues, and who range in age from 8 to 19. The program is a partnership between Chesapeake's Division of Social Services, Interagency Consortium, Community Services Board, and Tidewater Youth Services Commission. Connections foster parents have direct access to the services and resources in each of these public child serving agencies to promote the healing and growth of Chesapeake youth in foster care.

Services are delivered by staff and foster parents who are given in-depth and ongoing education about how trauma effects an individual's brain, physical, emotional, and social development.  Staff and foster parents have an appreciation for the high rates of traumatic experience in children who are in foster care and incorporate that knowledge into treatment.

Specialized foster care providers are central to the professional treatment team, and key to the success of children in foster care. They work the closest with foster youth to implement strategies specified in a child's treatment plan.

How do I become a Chesapeake Connections specialized foster parent?

People with foster parenting experience who have completed PRIDE training (or its equivalent) are eligible to be considered for the program.

The first step to become a specialized foster parent is to attend Chesapeake Connections' unique ten (10) hour trauma-informed, specialized skills training, usually split between two Saturdays. 

Upon completion of the training, prospective parents undergo an interview. If the interview panel believes the prospective parents are a match for the program, the family begins the Division of Social Services foster home approval process.  Once the home is approved, Connections will begin placing children.  For more details, please contact the Chesapeake Connections Coordinator at (757) 382-2339.

Basic requirements to be a specialized foster parent:

• Previous foster parenting experience
• Completed PRIDE pre-service training or an equivalent
• 21 years of age or older
• Married or single (no co-habitation/living together)
• Physically and mentally healthy Income to meet your own needs
• Safe, loving and stable home
• Space for a child's bed and clothing in your home
• Working telephone
• Reliable transportation

Responsibilities of the specialized foster parent:

Chesapeake Connections foster parents understand the importance of healthy relationships at home, school, and with the community. By providing stability, nurturing, trust, enrichment, and a sense of permanency, foster parents can help a child to see the world in a more positive light and develop the skills necessary to become a healthy and productive adult.

Chesapeake Connections foster parents will be most successful if they:

• Enjoy working with children and teens
• Put treatment plans into action
• Follow the program's treatment philosophy
• Participate in treatment team meetings
• Attend the monthly foster parent support group
• Work cooperatively with the family of origin
• Develop a relationship with the child's school and remain involved in school activities
• Actively maintain their foster youth's health with regular medical and dental care
• Provide a well-rounded family life and participate in the larger community

Support for specialized foster parents:

• 24/7 Crisis Support
• Respite Care
• Monthly Support Group
• Social Recreation Events with other Chesapeake Connections families
• Ongoing Training and Education
• Weekly visitation and contact and coordinated care from a Care Manager with a small caseload
• Ongoing training classes on issues that are of concern or interest
• Social worker support and guidance
• Monthly monetary payment for room and board, clothing, personal care, allowance, and other expenses
• Additional monthly money payment for supervision, support, and additional services to a child with an emotional, behavioral, or medical/personal need
• Yearly clothing allowance
• Medical coverage for the child
• Child day care assistance for working foster parents