In the state of Kansas, foster care is privatized. This means that, typically, when a child comes into state custody, the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) will have a private agency handle the case with the SRS overseeing it. This agency is then responsible for placing the child into kinship care or a foster home.
Most prospective foster parents contact an agency that specializes in foster care in the beginning stages of licensing. The agency will help you obtain the required training and fill out the necessary paperwork to become licensed.
General Regulations for Foster Parents
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Be in good mental and physical shape.
- Have sufficient income.
- Will need to complete a ten week training course. In most cases, this training is offered at no cost.
- Be trained in first-aid.
All Household Members
- Everyone living in the home will need to have current health assessments and immunizations.
- Persons age 16 and older must submit to a tuberculin test.
- Everyone living in the home, over the age of ten, will need to have background checks.
The Foster Home
Your home will be inspected by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and need to be found to be safe and reasonably clean, with adequate living space. The number of foster children a family will be licensed for depends largely on the amount of bedroom space available and the number of children who already reside in the home.
Safety Requirements
- The home needs to be constructed and maintained in a safe and healthy manner.
- Private well water and sewage systems need to meet state requirements.
- A mobile home should be anchored down and skirted.
- Working smoke detectors need to be located on each floor of the home.
- Medications, cleaning supplies and chemicals should be locked up or stored out of a child’s reach.
- Outside play areas should be free of debris and other hazards.
- Swimming pools must be fenced to keep children out.
- Trampolines are not allowed on the premises.
- Will need to have an emergency plan posted and reviewed regularly, including monthly fire drills and monthly tornado drills (April through September).
Space Requirements
There must be a minimum of 45 square feet per person in each bedroom, with a minimum of 130 square feet in the master bedroom if an infant is to share a room with the foster parents.
Pets
- Pit bulls are prohibited.
- Dogs and cats should have current immunizations with documentation on file.
- Pet area kept clean and sanitary.
Discipline Policies
- No physical punishment of any type is allowed, which includes: spanking, restricting movement, confining to a room, and withholding or forcing food.
- All discipline practices need to comply with the state’s guidelines for children in foster care.
Reference: Kansas Laws and Regulations for Licensing Family Foster Homes for Children, a complete guide from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
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