How to Become a Foster Parent in Texas (2026)

Right now, there are more than 30,000 kids in the Texas foster care system who need a secure, stable, and loving home. While the state hopes to eventually reunite foster children with their biological families, foster parents play a crucial role in providing these kids with some stability while their families work toward that goal. 

This page provides a comprehensive roadmap to help you become a foster parent in Texas. We provide step-by-step instructions on how to foster, including basic requirements, financial support, and where you can find official resources to help you along your path. 

The Need for Foster Homes in Texas

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is the official state agency that oversees the foster care system in the Lone Star State. 

When a child can’t live with their parents, DFPS’s preferred option is kinship care, in which the child moves in with a relative. When kinship care is unavailable, the state relies on caring foster parents to look after Texas’s youth. Reunification with biological families is always the goal, but foster parents can play a key role in providing kids with stability during a potentially turbulent period in their lives. 

The state has a particular need for foster parents for sibling groups and older children who are on the precipice of aging out of the system. More than 1,000 Texas kids age out of the foster care system each year, which can cause them to experience homelessness and abuse. Texas also needs parents who can provide therapeutic foster care. 

Foster Parent Requirements in Texas

• Age: You must be at least 21 years old to become a foster parent in Texas. 
• Residency: You can be a homeowner or renter to become a foster parent in Texas, but you must be a resident of the state. 
• Marital Status: There are no laws specifying marital status in terms of being eligible to foster in Texas. You can be married, single, or LGBTQ+ and become a foster parent in Texas. 
• Financial Stability: Texas does not list any financial requirements for foster parents beyond being financially stable. You must have a demonstrated income and be able to manage that income to take care of your own family. The home study process may require you to demonstrate proof of income. 
• Health: All household members must be in good physical, emotional, and mental health. All household members must also pass a TB check through their local health department. 
• Background Checks: All adults in the household must pass a criminal background check, as well as an abuse/neglect registry check. 
• Home Environment: As part of the home study process, an official from the child-placing agency will visit your house and interview each member of your family. Your home will also need to pass safety, health, and fire inspections. 
• Training: In Texas, prospective foster parents must complete 19 hours of pre-service training. The specific program is the National Training and Development Curriculum (NTDC) for Foster and Adoptive Parents. 

How to Become a Foster Parent in Texas: The Step-by-Step Process

1. Attend an Informational Meeting: The first step toward becoming a foster parent in Texas is to attend a local information meeting. These meetings cover the basic requirements for foster parents and give you a chance to ask questions. On its website, DFPS maintains a directory of meetings by region. 

1. Meet with DFPS Staff and Complete the Application: If you meet basic age requirements, you can meet with DFPS staff to determine if becoming a foster parent is the right choice for you. At this point, DFPS will also perform an initial assessment. This meeting is another opportunity for you to ask questions and gain information about the system. 
2. Participate in Pre-Service Training: Texas uses the NTDC curriculum, and all prospective foster parents in the state must complete 19 hours of pre-service training. Topics covered during this training include abuse and neglect, grief, loss, attachment, the effects of trauma, and discipline and behavioral intervention. In addition the NTDC curriculum, prospective foster parents in Texas must complete trainings in the following areas:
   • Psychotropic medication
   • First aid and CPR certification
   • Medical consent
   • Preventing sexual abuse and victimization in foster care
   • Suicide intervention and prevention
3. Complete the Home Study: The home study involves in-house visits from a caseworker, who will also interview members of your family. The caseworker will discuss your personal history, what type of children would thrive in your home, and your strengths as a foster parent. Your home will also have to meet certain safety and space requirements. 
4. Receive Your License: After you complete all these steps, you'll receive your initial license and be qualified to foster children in Texas! Once you are licensed, in-service training requirements range from 10 to 30 hours per year. 

Financial Support: The Texas Foster Care Stipend

Foster care payments in Texas are meant as a non-taxable reimbursement to cover a child's needs, not a salary. Providing foster care is not a job, and these stipends are not a source of income. 

Texas provides foster care stipends based on daily as opposed to monthly rates. There is a minimum daily payment that DFPS will provide, and it escalates based on the severity of a child's needs:

• Basic: $27.07
• Moderate: $47.37
• Specialized: $57.86
• Intense: $92.43
• Treatment Foster Family Care: $137.52

According to DFPS, here are the definitions for each type of care:

• Basic: Parents must provide a supportive environment with normal limit-setting. Children may occasionally act out or have difficulties adapting to the home, but any misbehavior is usually brief and expected for the child’s age.
• Moderate: Children requiring moderate care need a great deal of structure and focus on their wellbeing. They may exhibit anti-social behavior, occasionally become violent, and/or pose a moderate risk to themselves or others. They may have a medical condition that requires consistent support or be dealing with substance misuse. Children with intellectual or developmental disabilities with moderate needs are also included in this group.
• Specialized: Children requiring specialized care are dealing with severe physical or developmentalimpairment or intense substance misuse or suicidal behavior. They may also be confined to a bed. Caregivers need to have specialized training.
• Intense: Children need 24-hour medical supervision or may be dealing with severe addiction, aggression, or self-harm. Caregivers of this group also need specialized training.
• Treatment Foster Family Care: This level of care is generally only available in specialized treatment centers. Children may be dealing with extreme runaway behavior, eating disorders, or psychosis. They might be survivors of human trafficking. 

All children in the Texas foster care system are eligible for comprehensive medical and dental coverage, as well as regular checkups and vaccinations, through STAR Health, a state Medicaid program specifically designed for children in DFPS's care.

Adopting from Foster Care in Texas

While the primary goal of foster care is to eventually reunite children with their biological families, that is not always possible. When parental rights are terminated, children in the Texas foster care system become legally available for adoption. 

If you are already licensed as a foster parent, the process to adopt can be streamlined. In some cases, inspections and screenings for both fostering and adopting can be combined into one process. 

As such, requirements to adopt from foster care are similar to initial requirements to become a foster parent. You must pass background checks and complete the home study process. The state must also decide that the adoption is in the child's best interest. 

For more details, see our guide to adoption in Texas. 

Get Started: Texas Foster Care Resources

Ready to begin your foster care journey? While the system can seem complex at first, with the right information and guidance, you can become a foster parent and start helping children in Texas in under a year. Remember, you don't have to go through the journey alone.  

• Official State Agency: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
• Website: https://www.dfps.texas.gov/Child_Protection/Foster_Care/ 
• Phone Number: 1-800-233-3405

Find a local licensing agency or county office near you.