Foster Care in Westchester County

Below are some of your legal rights as a foster parent:

• You have the right to hire an attorney! Legal matters involving foster care can be incredibly complex, so make sure you exercise this right. Your attorney can assist you in court with issues pertaining to permanency, termination, and false allegations abuse or neglect.
• You have the right to written 10-day notice, an internal formal conference, a fair hearing, and even a court proceeding to contest the decision of an agency to remove a child from your home, regardless of the length of time you cared for him or her.
• You have the right to be formally noticed and to appear and offer information at any and all permanency hearings.
• You have the right to object at a permanency hearing if the court gives custody to the relative of a child and can request a “best interest hearing” to ensure that custody is awarded to the individual who best serves that child’s interests.
• As a foster parent, you have the right to be considered first as an adoptive parent for any child you have fostered and been in your care for over 12 months.

Generally, prospective foster parents can expect to be asked about:

• Their experience raising children
• Their experience dealing with issues of child abuse or neglect
• Their approach to discipline
• Their awareness regarding the importance of maintaining a safe environment for children
• Their awareness regarding the potential impact of foster parenting on family members and the family’s current lifestyle
• The ability and interest in carrying out the permanency plan

Additionally, to obtain certification or approval, each foster parent must:

• Be over the age of 21
• Be in good physical and mental health and free of communicable diseases
• Be employed and that employment must be suitable and allow for proper care and supervision of any foster children at all times
• The marital status of a foster parent might also be a determining factor and it is important that any changes in status are reported to the authorized agency
• Be able to provide at least three persons who can be contacted for references to establish character