How to Become a Foster Parent in Connecticut

Right now, there are over 3,000 children in Connecticut who need a safe and loving home while they wait to reunite with their birth parents. Becoming a foster family is a way to provide crucial support to these children and help them maintain their community during a difficult time.

Fostering children requires commitment and responsibility, and we encourage you to take time to reflect and become informed. That said, the process of becoming a foster parent is manageable, and the experience can change both a child’s life and your own.

This guide provides a complete roadmap to becoming a licensed foster parent in Connecticut. We’ll walk you through the requirements, the process, and the financial support you’ll receive. We also direct you to official resources for more information and support.

The Need for Foster Homes in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) oversees child welfare services and operates offices in six regions across the state. They collaborate with the Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families (CAFAF) to recruit, train, and support foster families and help place children in safe, loving homes.

Foster parents are the backbone of Connecticut’s child welfare system. They provide temporary supportive care for children who the state has determined cannot safely live with their birth parents. Meanwhile, the parents and state work towards achieving the conditions necessary to reunite the family.

Your role as a foster parent is crucial. The state has an especially strong need for foster parents willing to care for youth 12 years and older, sibling groups, and children with special medical and mental health needs. They also have an increasing need for Spanish speaking foster families to care for children who only speak Spanish.

Many of these children have already experienced trauma and loss. By offering them a temporary home, you allow them to stay closer to their community and provide stability and support during a difficult time.

Foster Parent Requirements in Connecticut

You must meet a list of specific requirements to become a licensed foster parent in the state of Connecticut.

Age: You must be at least 21 years old.
Residency: You can be a homeowner or renter, but you must be a resident of Connecticut.
Marital Status: You may be single, married, divorced, or widowed. Connecticut does not discriminate based on race, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation.
Financial Stability: You must have sufficient income to meet your own family’s needs, independent of the foster care stipend.
Health: All household members must be in good physical and mental health and submit a health exam from their healthcare provider. Connecticut specifies that you do not have to be in perfect physical condition.
Background Checks: All adults in the home must pass federal, state, and local criminal history and DMV background checks.
Home Environment: Your home must pass a safety inspection and meet all safety and fire codes. The home must have adequate space for a child, but in many cases, sharing a bedroom between children is permitted as long as the child has their own bed.
Training: You must complete the state-mandated foster parent training program which requires 30 hours of virtual, hybrid, or in-person study, including homework.

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

There are several steps to becoming a foster parent in the state of Connecticut. The state’s DCF can help guide you through each one in more detail.

Attend an Informational Meeting: The first step to becoming a foster parent is attending a virtual information session, which you can sign up for online.
Complete the Application: To start the application process, contact DCF and CAFAF foster services at 1-888-KID-HERO (1-888-543-4376) to express interest and schedule a preliminary home visit. The application requires references and a financial statement with verification of income. You should also be prepared to submit medical documentation and documentation of marital status.
Participate in Pre-Service Training: Before becoming a foster parent in Connecticut, you must complete 30 hours of training, including homework. The training can be done virtually, in a hybrid format, or in person, and covers topics like trauma-informed care, child development, and state policies. Connecticut training includes Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard (RPPS), Fostering Health, and Medication Safety. Once licensed, ongoing training is also required. You’ll need to complete three modules of new and refresher training every six months.
Complete the Home Study: While the application process begins with a home visit, you’ll undergo more formal follow-up visits once you’ve completed training. These will include interviews with all household members, fingerprinting, and background checks, as well as an assessment of your home for safety.
Receive Your License: After completing all requirements, you’ll receive your foster parent license for the state of Connecticut. You’re ready to welcome children into your home!

Financial Support: The Connecticut Foster Care Stipend

Foster parents in Connecticut receive a monthly stipend to help cover the costs of caring for the child. This payment is not a form of employment or income. Rather, it is a non-taxable reimbursement to help provide for the child’s needs. Foster parents must have a stable source of income that allows them to provide for the family independent of the stipend.

Here are the current monthly foster care stipend rates for Connecticut. While payments are made monthly, the state calculates the stipend amount by the day. These amounts are the average monthly payment, but the specific amount each month varies based on the number of days in the month:

Regular Care

Ages 0-5: approximately $830 per month
Ages 6-12: approximately $837 per month
Ages 13+: approximately $911 per month
Minor Parent and child: approximately $1,741 per month

Medically Complex Care

Class 1 – Potential Condition: approximately $830 per month
Class 2 – Medically at Risk: approximately $958 per month
Class 3 – Intensive Medical Need: approximately $1,278 per month
Class 4 – Medically dependent: approximately $2,619 per month

All children in foster care receive comprehensive medical and dental coverage through Connecticut’s Medicaid HMO program, HUSKY Health.

Adopting from Foster Care in Connecticut

The goal of foster care is to eventually reunite the child with their birth family. However, in some cases, this is not possible, and the child becomes legally available for adoption. Adoption requirements in Connecticut are identical to Foster care licensing, so if you’re a foster parent, you are already qualified to adopt.

Children adopted from foster care are often eligible for adoption assistance, which provides ongoing financial support for the child’s care. This assistance can include a monthly subsidy, medical coverage, and support services.

To learn more about adoption from foster care or exploring adoption-specific services, visit the Connecticut Department of Children and Families adoption page.

For more details, see our guide to Adoption in Connecticut.

Get Started: Connecticut Foster Care Resources

Ready to take the next step? Here are the official resources to help you begin your journey as a foster parent.

To get started, contact the Connecticut Department of Children and Families or the Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families, which work together to place children with loving families.

Official State Agency: Connecticut Department of Children and Families
Website: https://portal.ct.gov/dcf
Phone Number: 860-550-6300
State Agency Partner for Foster Care and Adoptions: Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families
Website: https://cafafct.org/
Phone Number: 1-888-KID-HERO (1-888-543-4376)