If you are considering becoming a foster parent, you might have a number of questions, specifically questions about age requirements and limits. The good news is that Kansas’ foster care system has clear guidelines when it comes to age requirements and limits.
How Old Do I Need to Be to Be a Foster Parent?
You will need to be at least 21 years old to be a foster parent. If you are not yet 21, but you still want to be a foster parent, now is a good time to prepare yourself and your home for the day when you can become one. Make sure that you have enough beds for each foster child. You should be financially secure enough to provide for a foster child or children. It is also a good idea to make sure you are mature enough to handle the responsibility of taking care of a child or children. Of course, all of these steps should also be taken if you are 21 years old or older.
What Age are the Children in Foster Care?
In Kansas, the children in foster care range from 0-21 with 9.3 years old being the average age of a child. Because of mental or emotional handicaps, some of the children are below age-level mentally or emotionally.
Would I Foster a Child About My Age?
If you are in your early to mid-20s, you might be concerned about being a foster parent to a child who is only a few years younger than you. In Kansas, the foster parent must be at least 5 years older than the oldest child that they foster. You will also have a choice in the children you accept into your home, so if you are not comfortable fostering older children, you can choose to only foster younger children. You could also choose to only foster older children.
One thing to remember is that many children in foster care come as a sibling group, and there might be children of varying ages. The larger the age range you are willing to accept, the better chance you have of having foster children placed in your home.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or you still want to learn more about foster parenting before making a decision, contact us.