Foster Care Awareness – Caring Community, Positive Impact
By: Stephanie Straub, Assistant to the County Administrator and Public Information Officer
The Orange County Department of Social Services is educating the community on Foster Care throughout the month of May. The Department is in need of residents to foster local children. The Department offers local training and works diligently to educate all prospective foster parents about the process. Vicky Tidman, Family Services Specialist, is the primary point of contact for anyone interested in becoming a foster parent. Vicky is an expert on all things foster care and is excited to share information and answer any questions. While foster care is a big commitment, it can also be immensely fulfilling. If you have questions about foster care, please contact Vicky at (540) 672 - 1155, or reach out to
Vicky Tidman
the Virginia Department of Social Services Foster Care Hotline at (888) 2FOSTER. Through Foster Care, we can work together to help our children and strengthen our community. Call today or visit us online at http://orangecountyva.gov/391/Social - Services or the Virginia Department of Social Services at https:// www.dss.virginia.gov/fosterVA/index.html.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON FOSTER CARE
1. How many children are currently in foster care?
As of February 2021, there are 5,240 children in foster care in Virginia with 2,964 (57%) children in non - relative foster homes. The children range in age from birth to 17 years
2. Is a single person able to be a foster parent?
Yes, foster parents can be single, married, divorced, or widowed. The Commonwealth of Virginia does not preclude a person from being a foster parent based solely on their culture, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, or marital/civil union or domestic partnership status.
3. Is a foster parent able to hold a job?
Yes, foster parents can be employed outside the home. In fact, your local Department of Social Services will provide market rate funding for childcare while you are at work.
4. How many children in foster care will be placed in my home?
This is determined for each family during the approval process. Capacity of the home is based on multiple factors. However, the number of children in foster care placed in the provider's home will not exceed six (6):
• To allow the child of a parenting youth in foster care to remain with the parenting youth.
• To allow siblings to remain together.
• To allow a child with an established meaningful relationship with the family to remain with the family.
• To allow a family with special training or skills to provide care to a child who has a severe disability.
5. Once children are placed with me, how long will they stay?
Foster care is considered temporary and short term. Every situation is unique and a child ’ s time in foster care depends on the family ’ s circumstances. However, reuniting the child with their parents is consistently
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