The Bair Foundation Child & Family Ministries

Christian Foster Care & Foster-to-Adopt Agency

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info@bair.org

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800-543-7058

 

Foster Care

Christian Foster Care

 

 

Are you interested in becoming a foster parent?

The Bair Foundation serves foster children and teens from ages birth to twenty-one. There is an overwhelming need for foster parents willing to open their hearts and homes to older children and teens as well as sibling groups and children with specialized medical needs. Bair is a Christian, therapeutic foster care agency and many of the youth in our care have experienced abuse, trauma, and neglect. It is through loving foster parents that children receive the permanency, healing, and security that they need to thrive and eventually become successful adults.

There are many opportunities to be a foster parent:

  • foster full-time
  • part-time (respite care)
  • foster-to-adopt (in select states)

Foster parents can be single, married, widowed, divorced, or empty-nesters.

Foster Parents can own or rent their homes.

Foster parents must be able to prove financial stability

Foster parents should also have a good support system in place. Immediate family, church family or friends can be an especially effective support system for those fostering.

 

How Can I Become a Foster Parent

The first step to becoming a foster parent is to:

  • Click HERE to request an information packet.
  • We will send information in the mail within 24-48 hours that you can look over, pray about and discuss with your family.
  • We will also call or email you and invite you to our next Foster Parent Info Night or Foster Parent Orientation.
  • At the orientation you will be able to meet our faith-based staff, ask questions, and meet other like-minded individuals who are interested in becoming foster or foster-to-adopt parents.
  • If you decide to move forward, there are additional pre-service training classes required (number of training hours depends on the state) application, CPR & First Aid, references, in-depth home study and criminal background checks.

Licensing and certification regulations vary by state, and you will need to attend all required trainings and complete all required paperwork & background checks in order to be certified to take a child into your home. The Bair Foundation tries to certify our foster parents within a 60 day time frame.

 

foster parenting

Regarding the foster children placed in your home…

Foster parents have the final say as to what foster care placements they will accept into their homes. The referrals Bair receives come from the counties who have a contract with The Bair foundation. Bair works diligently, with much thought and consideration to match a child with the best foster family for the child, according to the child’s needs and the family’s strengths.

Our goal is to reunify a child with their biological family where it is possible and safe. If that is not possible, a permanent alternative for the child is the next step. The Bair Foundation follows all court ordered treatment & permanency plans and we work in the best interests of the child while supporting and wrapping around you, the foster family, as you care for them.

 

foster care and adoption

Foster-to-Adoption

There may be an opportunity during the foster care process where a child or teen becomes available for adoption. In some states, The Bair Foundation can facilitate that adoption process; in other states where we cannot facilitate, Bair still has had instances where our foster families were able to adopt their foster children. To learn more about foster-to-adopt and matching, please contact us directly and we can discuss that process one on one with you based on the state you live in. In the state of Pennsylvania, The Bair Foundation is a member of the State-wide Adoption & Permanency Network (SWAN).

Our number one priority is for the safety and well-being of all children in our care. The Bair Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit, private, Christian child placing agency serving children and families for over 50 years. Christian beliefs have been incorporated into our trainings, our philosophy and approach. We believe that as God so loved us and adopted us into His family that we should model the same example to abused and neglected children who are in need of a temporary or permanent home.

Start With Foster Care

Learn more

 

“I fostered with them for years and loved it, I have two adopted children.

Most of my kids keep in contact with me. Every worker there is great. If you want to foster, use The Bair Foundation.”

– Lydia, Foster & Adoptive Parent