Below are some of the frequently asked questions that churches ask us about starting a foster care ministry. If you have other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

1.       Why do you require approval from the Senior Pastor?

The success of any initiative is directly related to the leadership's strong and unequivocal support for that initiative. A foster care ministry is no different. For your foster care ministry to be successful, the senior pastor must support it, both by allocating church resources and by encouraging the Church community to get involved during sermons and one-on-one conversations. 

2.       How much time will the pastor need to allot to the foster care ministry?

We understand the many responsibilities pastors have to manage, and we don't want to add a program that puts undue burden on his or her time. We believe that many of the operational aspects of the program can be managed by the Foster Care Ministry Director and the church's core team. Pastors typically participate in the core team training and, as schedule permits, they attend the opening of orientation and Pre-Service training to welcome the participants and deliver an invocation. 

3.       Describe the different roles and responsibilities involved in implementing a foster care ministry with FaithBridge.

The following are the key roles and the partner that fills each role. 

• Church Relations Officer (FaithBridge): This person works with the Senior Pastor to establish the scope of the engagement, and then turns the day-to-day operations over to the Community of Care Consultant.
• Community of Care Director (FaithBridge): This individual manages the volunteer programs and oversees the work of the Community of Care Resource Coordinator.
• Church Director (Church): This individual identifies recruits, orients and disciples members of the community to become involved in the ministry. He or she also manages the work of the Community of Care Resource Coordinator.    
• Community of Care Resource Coordinator (Church and FaithBridge): This individual establishes and manages a core team of volunteers, each of whom is responsible for a different area of foster family support, including respite care, transportation, clothing and supplies and family coach.
• Foster Family Consultant (FaithBridge): The Foster Family Consultant coordinates care and service for foster children and families and handles the interaction with state agencies.

4.       Why should we choose FaithBridge as our partner over another child-placement agency?

Like other child placement agencies, FaithBridge handles the legal and administrative aspects of the program, which means the church and families have little to no direct interact with government agencies. What sets us apart is our Community of Care^SM model. This small group network surrounds foster families with caring individuals who ensure that families have the support they need - from clothing and furniture to help with babysitting and transportation. 

5.       What role does FaithBridge play in helping our families become certified?

FaithBridge plays a key role in the application process, training and certification. First, we have simplified the foster family application process by implementing a web-based application form that individuals can fill out on our site. This eliminates the need for families to have to manage the 80-page paper application. Second, we facilitate all training, including the state-mandated Pre-Service training program. For the convenience of our families, we conduct that training over two weekends. Finally, we provide dedicated support to families who are going through the application process, which can take time to complete.

6.       How long does it take for foster families to become certified and to start being placed with foster children?

The answer varies on how quickly families move through the application and home study process, which can take some time. We do have a team in place that helps families at each stage of the process and works to see them through to certification. In the best case scenario, a church might begin receiving placements as soon as 10 to 12 weeks after the ministry begins.   

7.       Can you describe how the Community of Care works?    

When a foster family has a need such as respite care, transportation, supplies or help with tutoring, they contact their CoC Resource Coordinator. The CoC Resource Coordinator, who then engageshis/her volunteer to fulfill the request. If there are issues related to the child's development or behavior, the CoC Resource Coordinator contacts the FaithBridge Family Consultant who can weigh in on the situation.  

8.       Is there a fee charged to the church for working with FaithBridge? If so, how much?

We ask churches to sign a covenant for financial support to underwrite support of dedicated staff.    

9.       How do we communicate to our congregation about the new ministry?

FaithBridge works with you to help get the word out about your foster care ministry. We provide each new church partner an awareness kit that's designed to help the church promote the ministry launch. The kit includes posters, flyers, bulletin inserts, etc. -- all of which can be customized to your church.