Foster homes provide a stable, caring environment to children. Foster children come in all shapes, sizes, ages and have individual needs and preferences. The department provides a variety of environments that address these individual needs.
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings are excellent resources to care for their minor relatives who enter the foster care system. Relative caregivers are provided with the same support as non-relative caregivers and must meet the same criteria to become an approved foster home.
In Tennessee, there are also private agencies which train and support families to care for children in foster care. |
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These agencies must meet guidelines and criteria outlined by the Department of Children's Services. With the approval of the local DCS office, “shared homes” are foster homes shared with private agencies.
Foster homes for the medically fragile serve children who have extraordinary medical needs that require special attention.
Emergency foster homes are only for children who are without a placement prospect for the approaching night and for whom no placement is expected to be available. |
