Resource Families

Who can be a Resource Parent?

Resource Parents, who reflect the diversity in Alameda County and throughout the state of California, can be:

• Single, married, divorced or separated
• Young or older
• Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) or transitioning
• Of different religious and spiritual beliefs
• Undocumented
• Comfortable with another language other than English as their primary language
• A renter
• A home owner
• Working Fulltime
• Retired
• Unemployed
• Receiving Public Benefits
• Not a Parent
• Interested in Fostering Only
• Interested in Adopting

How to Apply

Requirements to become a Resource Parent

Once you have decided to move forward with becoming a Resource Parent, you could progress through the RFA process within a few months! Here’s what needs to happen:

• Attend an RFA Caregiver Orientation
• Submit an RFA Application
• Complete a background check for all adults in the home
• Submit proof of identification, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) report, verification of income, verification of residence, health questionnaire and two character references
• Have your home inspected to ensure it is safe
• Complete the 12.5 hour RFA Pre-Approval Training
• Receive certification in CPR/First Aid
• Participate in a Family Evaluation that includes all children and adults in your home

Find more information by calling our recruitment hotline at (510) 259-3575.

Resource Family Approval (RFA)

The state of California mandated January 1, 2017 that all counties utilize the RFA process to approve all caregivers interested in providing care for children, youth, and young adults in the foster care and juvenile probation systems that are in need of an out-of-home placement. RFA assures all substitute caregivers (i.e., relatives, friends of the family, and community members) are identified as “Resource Families” and receive the same information, training, and opportunities for support. RFA is intended to focus on lifelong relationships for our clients, achieve positive results for children, youth, young adults and families and to improve efficiency.

You will have a Department staff person assigned to support you every step of the way, and to answer any questions or concerns you may have. There is no need to be discouraged or overwhelmed with the requirements! We are committed to assisting you through the RFA process and look forward to partnering with you in the future.

Placement

The Placement Services Program was established to provide responsive and comprehensive placement services to children in need of out-of-home placement. All of the Department's placement activities are conducted within the Placement Services program by placement services child welfare workers and staff in coordination with the case carrying child welfare worker.

Department policy regarding placement is to strive to carry out the concurrent planning philosophy of placement. The Department prioritizes family reunification and if that is not an option, efforts are made to identify a permanent home with an available and willing relative or non-related extended family member (NREFM). The Department ensures that the choice of placement will provide stability and appropriate care from the outset for the duration of time the child remains out-of-home with the goal of establishing timely permanence.

Public child welfare systems have been imagining a world without group homes as a result of Continuum Care Reform (CCR). CCR draws together a series of existing and new reforms to the state child welfare services programs designed out of an understanding that children who must live apart from their biological parents do best when they are cared for in committed nurturing family homes. Of the large number of children and youth in foster care in our great state, a good number of them are living in what we know as group homes. It is safe to assume that many of these young people can be successfully cared for in a traditional family setting with the necessary supports and the promise of CCR is that all children will live with a committed, permanent and nurturing family. 

To assure our children and youth are not languishing in group home placements that do not meet their very unique needs, California Department of Social Services (CDSS) created a more specific type of congregate care placement, the Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP), to effectively replace group home placements as we know it.  STRTPs provide an integrated treatment model of 24-hour specialized intensive care and supervision. STRTPs use trauma-informed and culturally relevant practices to offer the core services and supports children and youth in foster care need. When a child or youth is placed in a STRTP, the STRTP works collaboratively alongside the County to support them in transitioning to a home-based setting with a Resource Parent (which includes community partners, relatives & fictive kin).