FSRI is a private foster care agency that matches children in state care with safe, loving homes. Our program welcomes foster parents of all backgrounds and is LGBTQIA+ friendly. FSRI staff guide foster parents through the entire process, from application and licensing, to placement – and beyond.
Children in foster care often experience trauma from neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, drug exposure, and most importantly the separation from their biological family. These children often require a higher level of unconditional love, support, patience, and understanding. Our specialized and skilled trauma-informed team utilizes the TST (Trauma Systems Therapy) model. This model focuses on a whole family approach to wellness, ensuring we build upon the strengths of the youth and the FSRI foster family. FSRI foster parents will receive training in TST to best support the child(ren) in their care.
You can become a foster parent if you:
● Rent, own your own home or live in an apartment
● Are single, married or have a partner
● Own a pet or numerous pets
● Are part of the LBGTQ+ community
● Are over the age of 55
Our Foster Care program serves all communities in Rhode Island.
Those interested in becoming a FSRI Foster Parent can sign up for more information using the link below. Thank you for your interest in becoming a licensed foster parent with FSRI!
FSRI offers monthly information sessions to the public, where you can learn about the licensing process and ask FSRI licensing staff questions. Keep an eye out on our social media posts for our upcoming information sessions. If you’d like to learn about helping children and youth in RI or if you’d like to grow your family, please join us!
Find our next session on Facebook.
Although there are many foster children who need homes, of the children who need homes, there are specific groups that struggle to find placements more than others. There is an urgent need for foster families for the following:
● Teenagers and young adults
● LGBTQIA+ youth
● Youth with medical and behavioral needs
● Sibling sets of three or more
Did you know you can become a foster parent if you:
● Rent, own your own home or live in an apartment
● Are single, married or have a partner
● Own a pet or numerous pets
● Are part of the LBGTQ+ community
● Are over the age of 55
Looking to become a foster parent? Here are some of the minimum requirements needed to apply:
● Over the age of 21
● Pass background checks- Fingerprints and DCYF Clearance
● Have stable and safe housing
● Physically, mentally and emotionally competent to parent
● Financially stable with a steady income that meets all your current living expenses
Foster parents receive pre-placement training through a 10-week TIPS-MAPP course (Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence Model Approach to Partnerships and Parenting). FSRI foster parents also receive case management, clinical support, access to FSRI’s 24-hour on-call crisis support line, and consistent ongoing training, specific to the challenges presented by the children in their care.
● FSRI assigns a licensing worker to help you throughout the entire licensing process. We are here to help you every step of the way!
● Comprehensive support and services to foster families as they navigate the foster care and adoption system, including respite care
● Clinical services: Each child is assigned a Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) clinician once placed in one of our foster homes
● Collaboration with other agencies to provide extended support (Foster Forward, Adoption Rhode Island and The Village)
Foster parent support groups
● Monthly training opportunities
● Access to our Emergency Response Support (ERS) which is a 24/7 on-call crisis support service that is always answered by a foster care staff member with clinical support
● Support during the holidays: Gifts for foster children and Turkey with the fixings during Thanksgiving
