CBC of Brevard manages foster care and adoption services for youth who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect and/or abandonment. Hundreds of children are removed from their homes each year due to abandonment, abuse, or neglect. These children represent all races and ethnicities and range in age from birth to 17. Their personalities are as different as the sand on the beach and each as beautiful! While most of these children will return home to their parents, many still will become available for adoption. CBC of Brevard provides support for relative (Kinship Care) and non-relative caregivers, as well as foster and adoptive parents.
Caregiver Corner Newsleter - September 2008
Typically these children reside in foster homes, however, in some cases, the child(ren) will live in a group home setting. The benefit of a foster home is the security and comfort of a family setting. If you are interested in foster parenting, please contact 321-752-4650 x2019.
What are the requirements of a foster parent?
- Foster parents must be at least 21 years of age and in good physical and mental health;
- They must be able to support themselves financially;
- They must be willing to assist and support the foster children's contact with their natural parents;
- They assist in reuniting them with their families or prepare them for permanent homes through adoption; and
- Children are placed in foster homes by matching their needs with the foster parent's or families' situations or requirements.
What types of children are in foster care?
- Children of all ages, origins, ethnicity and backgrounds are waiting to be fostered.
Does it cost a lot of money to be a foster parent?
- No! The foster parents receive a monthly stipend to care for the child;
- The child or children are totally covered for medical and dental services; and
- Financial help with recreational and educational activities is available.
What types of people are foster parents?
Men, Women, Single, Married, Home Owners, Renters...Everyday people just like you are fostering children.
Will the foster care process take a long time?
The length of time will vary, depending on the procedures involved in each situation.
The process usually includes:
- Attending an informational meeting and completing an application;
- Attending a conveniently scheduled 10 week training program (MAPP – Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting); and
- Participating in a home study.
What is a home study?
A home study is the synopsis of the information compiled on the prospective foster parent, including but not limited to: references, background check, health screening, and brief biography of the family history.
If you are interested in providing a forever home for a child in the foster care system, please contact 321-752-4650 x 2054 or visit the Heart Gallery. Our heart gallery represents many of the children available for adoption; however, it does not include all of the children available in Brevard County or in the State of Florida.
This program provides monthly financial support to relatives who meet eligibility requirements and have custody of a child under age 18 who has been adjudicated dependent by a Florida court and placed in their home by the CBC of Brevard or DCF. The monthly payment is more than the Temporary Cash Assistance for one child, but less than the amount paid for a foster care child. Only the needs, income, and assets of the child(ren) are considered when determining eligibility and payment amounts. Payments are based on the child's age and any countable income. Monthly payments for children with no countable income are as follows:
- Age 0 through 5 - $242 per child
- Age 6 through 12 - $249 per child
- Age 13 through 17 - $298 per child
Eligibility Requirements
- Child must be a US citizen or qualified non-citizen;
- Child must be a resident of Florida;
- Child must have a social security number or proof application for one;
- Child's countable assets must be equal to or less than $2000;
- Relative caregiver must be within the specified degree of relationship to the parent or stepparent of the child;
- Child's net countable income cannot exceed the payment standard for the child's age (see payment amounts above);
- Caretaker relative must cooperate with child support enforcement to identify and locate the non-custodial parents, assist in establishing paternity and establishing support payment for the children;
- Child under age 5 must be current with immunizations; and
- Children age 6 to 18 must attend school;
For more information on the relative caregiver program at CBC of Brevard, please contact 321-752-4650 x 2019, or reference http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/tanf.shtml