is the child welfare service which provides substitute care for children when their own family or legal custodian cannot care for them. Foster care is a temporary arrangement to provide children with consistent care by substitute parents until reunification can be accomplished or another permanent plan is possible.

The Dare County Department of Social Services is in need of foster families to provide temporary homes for children who enter the Department of Social Services care. The children who enter foster care are of all ages, from infancy to age 18. Many of them are troubled and will require services such as mental health therapy, developmental services and possibly other services as well.

Families who are interested in becoming foster parents will be interviewed to discuss the program in detail and the skills and abilities needed to meet the special needs of the children in the Department of Social Services’ custody. Once it is determined by the Department of Social Services that they are suitable candidates and the prospective foster parents wish to continue, training and the remainder of the licensing process will be provided. Requirements include 30 hours of training, fingerprinting and background checks of all adults in the household and other requirements pertaining to health and the home.

Please contact our office at 252.475.5500 if you would like to learn more about foster parenting.