Indiana Kids Belong

EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING

Help us improve the experiences and outcomes
for kids in foster care in Indiana

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BECOME A

FOSTER PARENT

CONSIDERING FOSTER CARE?
Learn How to begin this process in Indiana

GET INVOLVED AS A

business

Get Your businesses involved by offering discounts and services to foster parents

SUPPORT THROUGH YOUR

FAITH COMMUNITY

involve your church by wrapping around FOSTER families in need in your area

I BELONG PROJECT™

MEET THE KIDS

Watch I Belong Project™ videos to hear from kids in foster care seeking adoption

2,200+

FOSTER PARENTS ACCESSING offers AND RESOURCES ON THE FOSTER FRIENDLY® APP

395+

businesses and faith communities actively supporting foster parents

300+

STORIES captured through the i belong Project™ in kentucky

FOSTER CARE IS HARD WORK

The need is urgent. There are not enough homes to serve as a safe space for the nearly 12,000 kids currently in foster care in Indiana.

Nearly 50% of those homes close within the first year. Foster parents often cite “feelings of isolation” and “lack of support” as the leading causes.

We work to change this through programs targeting recruitment and retention so kids in care find stability, connection, and a place to belong.

Support foster parents to help them thrive

BECOME foster Friendly™

BECOME A FOSTER FRIENDLY BUSINESS

Foster Friendly Businesses use their unique products or services to benefit foster families. Generous companies show up for foster families by removing barriers to access their offerings. As a result, families build connection over meals together, create lifelong memories at local attractions, capture sweet moments during photography sessions, heal with the help of trauma-informed counselors and so much more.

Foster parents access offers through the innovative Foster Friendly App. By downloading the app, foster and kinship families receive instant access to a growing network of support.

BECOME FOSTER FRIENDLY

BECOME A FOSTER FRIENDLY FAITH PARTNER

Each Foster Friendly Faith community may look different, but they all have one thing in common: needs are met and lives are changed

Faith communities are uniquely positioned to serve. Many caring members feel ready, willing, and called to serve vulnerable populations. We invite faith partners to teach on foster care, become trauma-aware and start support ministries to walk alongside foster families in their area.

BECOME FOSTER FRIENDLY

Foster Friendly® represents a transformative approach, bringing together businesses, churches, local governments and passionate individuals to create measurable, sustainable impact. Foster Friendly® Communities, collectively support foster parents so they are able to keep their homes open longer and better serve kids in their care, minimizing further trauma by creating safe, stable environments for healing and growth.

Transform your area into a nurturing haven for children in foster care and the families who embrace them.

LEARN MORE

THE I BELONG PROJECT®

MEET KIDS WAITING TO BE ADOPTED FROM FOSTER CARE

There are currently 800 kids waiting to be adopted in our state.
The I Belong Project™ uplifts the stories and voices of kids in foster care who are legally free for adoption. The professional, trauma-informed photo and video shoots are one part of an entire day designed for youth to have fun, play and just be kids. Capturing and sharing each story is done with the utmost dignity in the hopes that the resulting video profiles connect children with a family.

WATCH THE VIDEOS

BECOME A FOSTER PARENT

CURIOUS

HEAR STORIEs. discover the need.

MEET THE KIDS

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

CONSIDERING

GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

FOSTER CARE RESOURCES

EXPLORE THE BLOG

COMMITTED

YOU AREN’T ALONE. FIND SUPPORT.

FOSTER FRIENDLY® APP

FOSTER PARENT RESOURCES

Foster In Indiana

Indiana Foster Care is your best resource for information about becoming a kinship or foster parent in our state. But here are some key requirements to be aware of:

Demonstrate home stability.
Own or rent housing that meets physical-safety standards (e.g., fire extinguishers, adequate bedroom space, reliable transportation).
Foster parents may be married, single or cohabitating. A live-in relationship with a significant other or same-sex partner should be established for at least one year to demonstrate stability.
Must be at least 21 years of age.
Demonstrate financial stability.

The First Step Is Training & A Home Study

A home study (also known as a family assessment) is a process conducted by a caseworker to help prepare you and confirm that you meet the requirements to foster..

A home study begins with an interview at home by a caseworker to get to know your family.
It often includes a home-safety inspection where they will work with you to address any issues.
A main component is a budget that demonstrates financial stability without the fostering per diem (compensation).
A written report makes recommendations about the characteristics and number of children you are able to support in your care. Your agency works with you to ensure your home meets the requirements and gives you an opportunity to make needed adjustments.

You have the option to work directly with Indiana Foster Care or with a licensed child placing agency (LCPA). LCPAs have their own guidelines for licensing families based on the family’s preferences and abilities. LCPAs often are contracted by the state to license “therapeutic homes,” families that receive additional training and support to take placement of children with higher needs.

Connect with Indiana Foster Care