There is a crisis of child maltreatment in Kentucky as the state is currently ranked #1 in the nation for child abuse and neglect. As a result, an overwhelming number of Kentucky’s children are placed in the state’s foster care system after being removed from their homes due to significant trauma. Often times, their biological parents were unable to care for them due to reasons such as financial hardship, loss of employment, emotional and/or mental health and/or substance abuse. If the circumstances improve, the child may reunite with their parents, and the foster and the biological families work together for a smooth transition. In cases where the child is unable to return home, the child becomes eligible for adoption — a “forever family.”

At St. Joseph Children’s Home, it is our privilege to connect a child with the right family, whether it is only temporary or their forever adoptive family. St. Joe’s provides therapeutic foster care (TFC) services for children of all ages from infancy to 21 years old, not just for the children in our Residential Treatment program, but all across Kentucky. Our dedicated staff work diligently to recruit and train community members to become certified foster parents while providing ongoing support for families who decide to foster a child.

Almost anyone can foster. You can be:

• Single or married;
• Any race or religion;
• Working parents, retired, stay at home moms;
• Already parenting or have never parented.

You don’t have to be:

• Rich. You just need enough income to care for your current family.
• A homeowner. You simply have to have a safe home/apartment with enough room for another child. And must live in KY within 60 miles of our location.
• A stay at home parent. You just need to be flexible enough to work with the child’s needs.

It does not cost a lot of money to be a foster parent!

• You will receive monthly compensation per child.
• Medical and dental expenses for the child, or children, are completely covered.
• We assist with placement needs such as school clothes and supplies.

It has been said that fostering a child is the toughest job you’ll ever love, and the most rewarding experience a person or family can have.

Contact us today if you are interested in supporting a child in need! Call (502) 893-0241 or email at info@sjkids.org.

St. Joe’s provides individual and family therapy as well as 24/7 support to the families we serve. We offer extensive training, competitive reimbursements, additional year-round support such as clothing and school supplies, holiday needs, and crisis support. We also have a strong social network with other families hosting events and providing supplemental support throughout the year. The St. Joe’s team is like an extended family to most of our foster children and families.

Unfortunately, the reality is that there are always more children in need than there are available foster families. St. Joe’s kids need families interested in both fostering and adopting—especially those interested in sibling groups, older children, teens, children with behavior problems and children with special needs.

Every child, no matter their background, deserves safety and love. Start your journey of providing love and hope to children in need by enrolling in the next training session today!

Information for Certification
Learning more about foster care and adoption in Kentucky requires no commitments and only an hour of your time! Sign up for a virtual info session today and learn more about the process of becoming certified as a foster parent or respite provider. Informational meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month at 5:45 p.m. at St. Joseph Children’s Home.

We can offer virtual meetings if preferred but will be holding in-person meetings this year.

Please RSVP to Lisa Barber-Atwell at info@sjkids.org. For more information, please email info@sjkids.org or call (502)-893-0241.

Information for Certified Families – Upcoming Events

Foster Parent Appreciation  –  5/18/2023

Back to School Bash  –  7/18/2023

Halloween Party  –  10/26/2023

Christmas Party  –  12/14/2023

Basic Requirements For Therapeutic Foster or Adoptive Parents
There are several requirements to become a prospective foster/adoptive parent. These include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Must be at least 21 years old or of an age to have naturally parented the ages requested.

2. Must be a resident of the state of Kentucky and live within 50 miles of our agency to ensure that the needed support and supervision are provided to maintain a successful placement.

3. If married, be married at least two years* and demonstrate marital stability.

4. Complete the orientation and interview process.

5. Complete criminal history check and child/spouse abuse records check.

6. Successfully complete 28 hours of pre-service training, in addition to CPR & First Aid.

7. Have an approved home-study completed by St. Joseph’s, indicating the condition of the home to ensure the health, safety, well-being, privacy and comfort of each member.

8. Be willing and able to maintain accurate daily logs detailing the child’s activities, behaviors, problems and progress.

9. Be willing and able to accept an intense level of supervision and involvement from the Foster Care Specialist. This includes being available for weekly or bi-monthly supervision, ongoing monthly training and monthly treatment team reviews. If fostering, participate in an average of 24 hours of training per year.

10. Be able to provide supervision of the child placed in their home.

11. Have an income sufficient to meet present family needs and obligations.

12. Have a reliable means of transportation.

13. Have a plan for childcare developed prior to the time a child is placed in their home.

14. Provide a statement of health from a physician verifying that all household members are free from communicable diseases, and that the prospective adoptive/foster parents are physically able to care for a child.

15. Not be certified as a foster parent with any other agency.

16. Not have a licensed child care facility in the home.

The next step in the process is to schedule an informational meeting OR attend our monthly informative meeting held the first Tuesday of the month at 5:45 p.m. To schedule an informational meeting, either email St. Joe’s at info@sjkids.org or call (502) 893-0241.