Q: What is Fostering?
Q: Is Angels a County-run foster care agency?
A: No. Angels is a licensed, private foster family agency, operating independently, but in cooperation with San Diego County Social Services.
Q: How is Angels different from traditional Foster Care?
A: Angels parents:
- Are permitted to foster only one child (siblings are an exception) at a time. County foster parents are allowed up to six foster children.
- For infants, we require a stay-home parent in the important first months. The county permits both foster parents to work outside the home regardless of the child’s age, and the children are placed in daycare.
- Are carefully screened and trained before their foster child is welcomed into their home. County foster care does not use any form of psychological screening and often children are placed before foster parents have completed basic training.
- Agree to care for a child until permanent placement is decided, and are carefully matched to the child to ensure that the first foster placement is the best and only placement. County care provides for 30-day placements and most children experience a minimum of three placements before their first birthday.
- Receive weekly visits and support from their Angels social worker, who also attends parent visitations and all court dates. County social workers, by contrast, are burdened with heavy caseloads, which often prevent the worker from making frequent, regular visits and providing needed support.
- Consider it a privilege to parent a child and do so as a contribution to the community.
Q: Where do Angels babies come from?
A: Abused, abandoned, and neglected children are taken into protective custody by Child Protective Services every day. Angels receives referrals from the Polinsky Children’s Center, County placement workers, and local hospitals.
Q: What makes Angels parents so special?
A: Angels parents are compassionate and conscientious individuals with a deep love of children, are productive members of the community and have the financial ability to provide for an additional child. Angels parents view fostering as an opportunity to contribute by making a difference in the life of one child.
Q: How is Angels funded?
A: Angels is 501(c) (3) non-profit organization funded through private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations. We also receive funding for basic program costs from public sources. All funding received is used to recruit, train, and support Angels families and their foster children. Learn how you can help by donating.
Q: What are the requirements for becoming an Angels parent?
A: Basic requirements include:
- Fingerprint and child abuse index clearance
- Physical exam and T.B. test
- DMV printout, current auto insurance and driver’s license
- Successful completion of our specialized training program
- Home study and in-depth family interview
- Completion of MMPI-2 psychological screening.
Q: I thought only older children needed foster homes. Is this true?
A: One in three foster children is under the age of three. This is the largest group in foster care, and the most critical period of development.
Q: I have heard that court-dependent babies have medical issues. How often is this true?
A: Typically, the medical issues Angels babies face reflect neglect, abandonment, malnutrition, physical abuse, or in-utero drug exposure; the reasons they come into care. Stimulating and nurturing families are the most important remedy to heal these wounds.
Q: Does the County provide medical coverage?
A: Every child is insured by Medi-Cal, which covers all medical costs for the child.
Q: Will I receive any compensation for taking in an Angels baby?
A: Angels does not pay parents to care for babies, and prospective parents should view their commitment as a contribution to a healthier generation. Families receive the standard stipend from San Diego County to cover expenses such as formula, diapers, clothing, and other necessities. Families also receive assistance for food costs through the Women Infants Children (WIC) program. All medical and legal expenses are covered directly by the state.
Q: Do Angels babies have contact with their birth parents?
A: All foster children come with court-ordered reunification plans. Angels parents are responsible for making sure that the children are available to visit with their parents as ordered by the court. Typically, visits are set for one hour either once or twice per week. Visits are never held at the home of the foster parents and foster parent addresses are confidential and never provided to birth family members. The visits are supervised and are held at an agreed upon location or at the Angels office. Angels helps coordinate visitation sites and times.
Q: What is involved in your training program?
A: Our acclaimed Angels Parent Pre-Certification Program covers practical parenting skills as well as key principles of child development and psychology required to raise a happy, well-adjusted child. The training is held one evening a week for eight weeks. Our program includes:
- The Fundamentals of PRIDE Training: Developed by the Child Welfare League of America, this is the standard in foster parent training.
- Normal Child Development
- Bonding/Attachment Theory: Teaches how to develop empathy and trust with a baby or toddler.
- Infant Care
- TLC- Focused training on children with special needs.
- Grief and Loss
- Parenting, Play and Stimulation
- County Roles and Responsibilities
Q: How long will a foster baby stay with us?
A: Each case is different. The court offers reunification services to most birth parents. However, these parents must comply with the court’s orders to regain custody; so the length of placement varies. At Angels, we ask that our foster families commit to caring for the child until a decision is made about final placement. At that time, the child will either be reunited or adopted. If the opportunity arises and your family chooses to adopt, Angels will support you through the process. Babies placed with Angels families typically remain a ward of the court for 6-18 months.
Q: Can Angels families ever adopt their Angels baby?
A: Yes. When reunification efforts are unsuccessful, Angels babies may become eligible for adoption, and many Angels families choose to adopt. Approximately 50% of our babies are adopted by their Angels parents.
Q: How much support will our family get after a child is welcomed into our home?
A: Angels is here to support you every step of the way, by answering your questions or guiding you to resources for help. Our social workers are always available to offer guidance and “seasoned Angels parents” often mentor new families. Support group meetings are offered throughout the year.
Q: Can single people be certified as Angels parents?
A: Yes. Angels does not discriminate against individuals who meet all of the qualifications to become an Angels parent. We recognize that parents and families come in different shapes and sizes, and we respect everyone’s desire to care for a child. Click here to learn more.
Q: What is the process to become an Angels Foster Parent?
A: Follow the link to see the step-by-step process of becoming an Angels Foster Parent.
Q: May I read stories from other Angels parents about their fostering experience?
A: Yes, please see Our Foster Families page.
Q: Can I help, even if I don’t have the time or resources to be a foster parent?
A: Yes. Your tax-deductible contribution to Angels will help us continue to place vulnerable babies in loving homes. Angels is financed by donations, so our work depends on your help. Learn more about donating.
