Frequently Asked Questions

Children range in ages from 0 to 17 years and often consist of sibling groups. No matter their circumstances, all foster children are victims of emotional abuse and often need special attention and care.

Foster families open their hearts and homes to children who need them. They are entrusted to love, nurture and protect these children, knowing their time with them is only temporary. Foster parents are there in good times and bad, instilling in the children the skills they will need to face life’s challenges and opportunities. Families are also responsible for working cooperatively with all team participants including birth families.

- Can be married, single or coupled
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Must be financially stable
- Must be emotionally ready for parenting
- Must be in good physical health
- Must be free of serious CPS or criminal background
- Must be available to take in children on an emergency basis

Step 1: Contact Us
Contact our Recruitment Hotline at 602.930.4900. We will mail the packet of information to you. You can also request a packet by filling out our “Get Started” form.

Step 2: Attend an Orientation.
Foster care orientations are free, mandatory and held throughout the Valley. During the orientation, one of our specialists will give you an overview of foster care, guide you through every step of the process and answer your questions.

Step 3: Complete the Foster Parenting Application and Intake Interview.
At the end of the orientation, you will be given an application to fill out. Once AASK has received your completed application, one of our specialists will contact you to conduct an intake interview. This interview is an informal meeting to discuss specific needs and to provide additional information regarding the foster care process. This step is the starting point of the relationship between AASK and the prospective foster parent(s).

Step 4: Have a Home Study Prepared.
The home study provides AASK and the state with comprehensive information needed to place a child in your care. You and your specialist will meet several times during the process. You will need to submit various documents including copies of your birth certificate(s), marriage license (if applicable), income tax returns, and medical reports completed by your physician. All adults in your home must be fingerprinted and cleared through the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Step 5: Complete a Training Series.
While the home study is underway, you will attend a 10-week training course. Through this training you will improve your parenting skills and assess your own strengths as a foster parent. You will learn how to work with birth parents and how to help children adjust to their temporary home. You will also learn about the subsidies you will receive for the care of the child and you will find out about your rights and responsibilities as a foster caregiver.

Step 6: Become a Licensed Foster Parent.
Upon the successful completion of your home study and training, you become a licensed foster parent. This means that you can now care for foster children in your home.

Step 7: A Child is Placed in Your Home.
When you are licensed, you will begin receiving calls from AASK to place children in your home. The child(ren) will come to stay with you on either a short-term or long-term basis. After a child is placed in your home, the caseworker will tell you about visitation schedules with birth parents and siblings, and will give you information that will help you provide the best care for the child.

The foster care licensing process includes orientation, intake interviews, 30 hours of training, fingerprinting and home study. This process typically takes 4 to 6 months to complete.

No. You may rent, live in an apartment or a manufactured home. You just need to have adequate, safe living space for a foster child.

Every month, you will receive a check from the state to help cover the costs of raising a child. This includes additional funds for clothing and diapers. Medicaid covers the children's medical expenses.

Yes. An AASK Family Specialist will be assigned to work with you throughout the child's stay in your home. Through AASK, there are additional training sessions provided throughout the year at no cost, as well as a foster parent support group to get advice and assistance from experienced foster parents.

AASK's Family Specialists and staff build positive, lasting relationships with each and every family we serve. We promise strong, ongoing advocacy; consistent, clear communication; easy accessibility to Family Specialists. Because our primary focus is ensuring every foster child has someone who cares, we place more children from foster care into foster and adoptive placements than any other agency in Maricopa County.

When a child can no longer live with their mother or father, another caring adult they already know and trust provides them with a greater sense of stability. Children in kinship care face less challenges and fewer behavioral issues than children placed with non-relatives. Kinship care is often the best type of placement for these children.

Although kinship families must undergo many of the same requirements as unrelated foster and adoptive families, AASK has tailored its Licensed Kinship Care program to meet the unique needs of kinship families. Whenever possible, the AASK program is built around your specific and unique needs. Your family specialist will guide you through each step of the process, working around you and your family's busy schedule.

- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must be physically, mentally, and emotionally able to care for children
- All adults in the household must be free of serious CPS or criminal background
- Must have access to transportation
- Must have all household members participate in our home study process
- All household members must be legal U.S. residents

AASK's kinship program was created by us to specifically help family members and caring adults who have unconditionally taken children into their homes. Our program is tailored to the unique needs of kinship families and is available in both English and Spanish; offers trainings in three convenient locations throughout Maricopa County; is the largest licensed kinship program in the State; offers free childcare during training.

In addition to the basic foster home licensing requirements, families who want to care for children with special medical needs take an additional 12 hours of specialized medical training, have current First Aid and CPR and must have one stay-at-home parent.

Yes. In addition to the basic 30-hour training course, specialized medical foster parents are required to attend 12 hours of advanced training on caring for children with special medical needs. The family is required to take an additional 12 hours annually to renew their license. For DDD license renewal, 10 hours of advanced training is required annually. All specialized medical foster parents need to be First Aid and CPR certified.

AASK's Specialized Medical Foster Care program consists of a therapeutic team that supports the family through monthly visits and 24-hour emergency assistance. AASK also has a full-time Registered Nurse on staff to assist families with support, education and resources. The nurse is also able to provide developmental assessments and assist in making referrals for needed services.