Foster Care in Florida

Right now, there are over 20,000 children in foster care in Florida who need a safe, secure, and loving home. There is a great demand for caring foster parents who can support local children through a transitional period in their lives while their birth families work toward reunification. 

While becoming a foster parent requires commitment, it is a clear and manageable journey. This guide will provide a step-by-step outline of how to become a foster parent in Florida and will give you a list of concrete actions you can take to get licensed. We cover requirements, the process, monthly stipends, and where you can find official resources. 

The Need for Foster Homes in Florida

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) needs caring foster parents to support the state’s children and help them flourish as they wait for reunification with their biological families. Foster parents are the backbone of the state’s child welfare system.

In addition to foster parents who can meet children’s basic needs, Florida needs caring adults who can help kids catch up during a difficult time. Additional responsibilities might include tutoring, doctor’s visits, and therapy or counseling to help children work through past trauma. Foster parents may need to provide extra support to help kids thrive, but they are not alone — they have the support of a dedicated team. 

For some children, your home might provide the most stable environment they’ve ever known. As such, your role as a foster parent can be pivotal in the lives of children throughout Florida. 

Foster Parent Requirements in Florida

• Age: Foster parents in Florida must be at least 21 years old. 
• Residency: You can be a homeowner or renter, but you must be a resident of Florida.
• Marital Status: You can be married or single and be a foster parent in Florida. If you are married, you must have been married for at least a year to demonstrate stability. Since a ruling in 2015, LGBTQ+ people are able to be foster parents. Foster parents just need to provide a stable environment and a strong family and support system. 
• Financial Stability: There is no income threshold for adults who want to provide foster care in Florida; however, while you don’t have to be rich, you do have to have an income level that’s sufficient to meet your family’s needs. During the home study process, you will have to provide records that demonstrate proof of income and financial stability. 
• Health: To provide foster care in Florida, all family members must show that they are in good physical and mental health. The Department of Health will conduct a home health inspection to verify your health status. 
• Background Checks: All adults in the home must pass fingerprint-based local and federal criminal background checks, including a child abuse and neglect registry check. Everyone living in the home, including children, must receive child abuse clearance.
• Home Environment: Your home must pass a safety inspection and have adequate space for a child. Each foster child must have their own bed to sleep in and 40 square feet of their own space. Children over the age of one cannot share a bedroom with adults. Medications, firearms, alcohol, and cleaning supplies must be securely locked. Your home must have operational smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher, and pets must have rabies vaccinations. 
• Training: All prospective foster parents in Florida must complete a 30-hour training program. They must also complete a free online water safety course. 

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

1. Call a Foster Community Ambassador or Fill Out a Form

Most licensed child-placing agencies in Florida offer either a phone number to call or an online form to fill out. This step indicates your interest in being a foster parent. 

2. Attend an Orientation/Information Session

According to the DCF website, after indicating interest, the next step in the process is to attend an orientation. These sessions are available through many licensed child-placing agencies in Florida and are often offered online. This session is non-binding and strictly informational. 

3. Participate in Pre-Service Training

Florida requires that prospective foster parents complete a 30-hour, six-week parenting course called PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education). States throughout the U.S. and 25 nations across the world use PRIDE, which includes a 14-step model that covers topics such as child development, trauma-informed care and state policies. The PRIDE curriculum includes five core competencies:

• Protecting and nurturing children
• Meeting children’s developmental needs and addressing delays
• Supporting relationships with birth families
• Connecting children to safe, nurturing relationships intended to last a lifetime
• Working as a member of a professional team

4. Pass Background Checks

Prospective foster parents in Florida must pass fingerprint-based local and national criminal background checks. Each household member must also receive child abuse clearance. 

5. Complete the Home Study

The home study is a collaborative process in which a state social worker visits your residence to make sure it’s safe and that there’s adequate space for a child. The process also involves a financial evaluation, health documentation, and references. 

6. Receive Your License

Receiving your foster parent license is the final step of the process. With many agencies, during the first two years of your licensure, you must complete 12 hours of continuing education. During the third year, you must complete eight hours of training. 

Financial Support: The Florida Foster Care Stipend

Florida provides all foster parents with a monthly stipend for each child’s cost of living. This stipend is not a salary but rather a non-taxable reimbursement to provide for each child’s needs, including food, clothing, and transportation. 

The state provides higher stipends for older children, as they often have greater needs in terms of food, education, and extracurricular activities. 

In January 2025, the state increased the room and board stipends for foster parents. Here are current foster parent cost of living stipend rates for Florida:

• Ages 0-5: $587 per month
• Ages 6-12: $602 per month
• Ages 13-21: $705 per month

Foster kids in Florida can also enroll in Medicaid, often through the state’s Sunshine Health program. Florida’s Medicaid program provides foster children with comprehensive medical and dental coverage, including various therapeutic services. Residents 26 and under who are currently or were formerly in the state’s foster care system can receive free Medicaid.  

Florida’s Medical Foster Care (MFC) program allows foster children under 20 with complex medical conditions to receive care in a foster home rather than a hospital. The MFC program is available to children enrolled in Medicaid. 

Adopting from Foster Care in Florida

The primary goal of foster care in Florida is always reuniting children with their biological family; however, when that isn’t possible, the state terminates parental rights and children become legally free for adoption. 

Estimates vary, but right now, there are somewhere between 500 and 800 foster children in Florida waiting for adoption. 

To transition from fostering a child to adopting them, adoptive parents must update their home study to reflect their desire to adopt. This process involves additional interviews and background checks, as well as updated references, health screenings, and financial evaluations. The evaluation considers how long the child has lived with the foster parent and the quality of their relationship.  

After filing the petition for adoption, the whole process generally takes six to eight months. The child must remain in the foster home throughout to demonstrate stability. The court may conduct more interviews or additional home visits before making its decision. Most children adopted from foster care are eligible for a post-adoption subsidy to assist with their continuing needs. 

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

Get Started: Florida Foster Care Resources

Ready to get started? While the system can seem complex at first, remember that you aren’t alone. With the right resources and information, you can become a foster parent and start helping children in Florida. 

If you’re ready to dive in, the state’s Department of Children and Families can help you take your first step.

• Official State Agency: Florida Department of Children and Families
• Website: https://www.myflfamilies.com/foster-care 
• Phone Number: 1-833-678-3735 

Here’s a list of licensed child-placing agencies throughout Florida, along with their contact information. 

Find a local licensing agency or county office near you.

Sources

• https://cwoutcomes.acf.hhs.gov/cwodatasite/byState/florida/ 
• https://www.myflfamilies.com/foster-care
• https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family-services/foster-care/meeting-challenges 
• https://residinghope.org/residing-hope-foster-care-faqs/#:~:text=Children%20in%20foster%20care%20range,child’s%20emotional%20and%20physical%20needs
• https://www.ococfl.org/services/foster-care.html#:~:text=To%20become%20a%20foster%20parent%20in%20Florida%2C,enough%20resources%20to%20support%20your%20own%20family
• https://fpocf.org/foster-care/how-to-become-a-foster-parent/#:~:text=You%20may%20be%20eligible%20for%20foster%20parenting,foster%20parent%20can%20be%20an%20enriching%20experience.
• https://wffcs.org/faq/#:~:text=While%20you%20don’t%20need%20to%20be%20rich,for%20at%20least%2012%20months%20if%20married 
• https://fosterpower.org/art1_medicaid-information/ 
• https://www.fosterclub.com/resources/medicaid-health-insurance-florida 
• https://ahca.myflorida.com/medicaid/child-health-services/medical-foster-care-mfc?st_source=ai_mode#:~:text=The%20Medical%20Foster%20Care%20(MFC,hospitals%20or%20other%20institutional%20settings. 
• https://heartofadoptions.com/how-often-are-kids-adopted-in-florida-insights-revealed/
• https://adoptuskids.org/adoption-and-foster-care/how-to-adopt-and-foster/state-information/florida 
• https://bocafamilylawyers.com/transitioning-from-foster-care-to-adoption/ 
• https://www.kidscentralinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Becoming-a-Foster-Parent.pdf
• https://www.eqfl.org/adoption_questionnaire