Foster Care Program

Many children in El Dorado County currently need foster care. The El Dorado County Child Welfare Program arranges for the temporary care of foster children and non-minor dependents through Resource Families.

What is a Resource Family?

A Resource Family is any individual, couple or family who wants to provide care to a related or unrelated children or non-minor dependents who are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, or otherwise in the care of a county welfare agency or probation department. Non-minor dependents are young adults age 18-21 participating in the AB-12 extended foster care program. Resource Families play a critical role in the lives of these youth, providing a feeling of safety, permanence and well-being.

Resource Families work together with the County and the child’s family to successfully return the child to their parents. In situations where the Court and County determine that a return home is not in the child’s best interest, Resource Families may become the permanent home through adoption or guardianship.

The term Resource Family is now used to describe all types of approved caregivers, rather than the various terms: Foster Parent, Adoptive Parent, Relative, or Non-Related Extended Family Member.

Resource Family Approval (RFA)

RFA is a new family-friendly and child-centered caregiver approval process that combines elements of the current foster parent licensing, relative approval and permanency assessment, and unifies those processes. The RFA program:

• Is streamlined: Eliminates duplication of existing processes
• Unifies approval standards for all caregivers
• Includes a comprehensive family evaluation, home environment check and training for all families, including relatives
• Prepares families to better meet the needs of vulnerable children in the foster care system
• Allows a more child-centered transition to permanency

  How to Become a Resource Family in El Dorado County

  An Agency Approval is required to operate a Resource Family Home in the state of California. Approval can be done through El Dorado County or through one of the many local foster family agencies. To work with the El Dorado County RFA Unit, call (530) 642-7159 to start the process. RFA parents must complete the following steps:

• Complete a Resource Family Application
• Attend a pre-approval training series. The training is free and provided in collaboration with the Foster Kinship Care Education Program (FKCE) by way of Folsom Lake College and Lake Tahoe Community College. Classes are held locally or through online methods (Zoom). On some occasions, childcare may be available as needed. For information about training, please contact Juline Aguilar in Placerville at (530) 642-5659 or Dana McKnight in South Lake Tahoe at (530) 541-4660 x528.
• Become First Aid and CPR certified
• Complete background checks
• Complete a health screening
• Pass a home health and safety inspection
• Participate in an in-home Family Evaluation and permanency assessment
• And other important steps

  Who can be a Resource Family?

  Anyone age 21 and over with an open heart and a commitment to the well-being of youth and families is welcome to apply. This opportunity is open to people of all ages from diverse family types. Single parents, LGBTQ+ couples, and those with grown children are all welcome to apply, as are those from all ethnic backgrounds and religious preferences. Background checks will be explored on a confidential case-by-case basis and may or may not preclude approval depending on the severity and nature of any past charges or convictions. Please be open to partnering with the County, participating fully in the family evaluation process and, most importantly, helping better the lives of children and families in need.

  Need for Families for All Aged Children and Those with Special Needs

  El Dorado County is especially grateful to families who can open their homes to all aged foster children and to those with special needs. Supplemental funding may be available to help offset associated costs and efforts for high needs children. These children include:

• Junior high and high school aged children (teenagers)
• Non-minor dependents age 18 - 21
• Medically fragile (substance exposed infants, children with special medical challenges such as diabetes, etc.)
• Children with developmental and intellectual disabilities
• Children in need of specialty mental health care
• Children who have experienced severe trauma and sexual abuse
• Children in the probation system

Helpful Links

• Resource Family Approval Program Written Directives
• State of California Resource Family Approval Information Page