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We are looking for parents interested in temporary respite care (weekends), short-term shelter care (up to 30 days), foster care (assisting a reunification with biological families), and foster/adoption. Click here to learn more about the levels of involvement.
A foster parent provides a safe, loving home for children who are unable to live with their biological parents due to allegations of abuse or neglect.
Being a foster/adoptive parent means fostering a child or children with the intent to adopt. Our goal is to find permanent homes for children who become available for adoption.
To fill out an online pre-application or request a phone call, please click here.
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Become a Foster Parent
Although the certification process has various stages, below are a few basic requirements to become a foster or foster/adopt family. Click here to learn more about the certification process of becoming a foster/adoptive parent.
Foster Parents must:
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Demonstrate an ability to accept and intergrate a child into the family
Exhibit a quality relationship with their own children when applicable
Be at least 21 years old (There is no maximum age limit.)
Be in good physical and mental health
Be fingerprinted and cleared through Department of Justice, Child Abuse Index, and FBI
Be able to show, through their life choices, that they have resolved any past traumas and/or issues
Be willing to work with Olive Crest Case Managers
Be willing to work with the foster child's natural family members when appropriate
Be able to attend and participate in the pre-certification training program
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By the end of the certification process, in the addition to other things, a foster family's house must at least:
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Be free from hazards
Have all medications, vitamins, poisons, and knives locked-up
Secure all bodies of water on a family's property, including: pools, fountains, and ponds
Have a fire extinguisher (ABC) in the kitchen
Have operational smoke detectors
Have firearms/weapons locked separately from ammunition
Adjust water temperature to be between 105 and 120 degrees
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To learn more, please call 1-800-74-FOSTER.
Respite Care for Families in Crisis
Click here to learn more about the Safe Families for Children program where children are matched with volunteer families in their own community whenever possible. Placements average from one day to three months.
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Olive Crest Provides Support For Parents
Once a child is placed in one of our homes, it is our goal to provide care for the entire family. Our case managers are committed to their foster/adoptive families, and provide ongoing case management and support.
Some of our services include:
Training and Education (foster care, emergency shelter, biological family respite, intensive community based treatment services and rehabilitation skills training/support counselor)
Ongoing Home Visits
Financial Reimbursement
School Consultation
Coordination of Medical Needs
24/7 Help Line
Special Events and Activities
Support Groups
Tutoring
Mentoring
Overall Guidance in Child Development
Mental Health Counseling
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Olive Crest Online Support Group for Foster/Adoptive Families
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Olive Crest recently launched an online support group for our Foster and Adoptive Families through Yahoo groups. We hope this site will provide families with an opportunity to ask questions, gain insight, and share successes with other families.
For confidentiality purposes, this group is for Olive Crest families only. All site postings are monitored to ensure that our children's confidentiality is maintained. We hope that this will be a helpful resource! To join the group, click here.
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