Alabama Minimum Standards for Foster Family Homes: What DHR Actually Checks

The Alabama DHR website points you to Chapter 660-5-29 of the Alabama Administrative Code — the "Minimum Standards for Foster Family Homes." It is a dense legal document that tells you what is required without telling you what a licensing worker actually focuses on during an inspection.

This post breaks down the physical and household standards that matter most and flags the specific items that commonly delay or derail applications.

The Legal Basis

The Minimum Standards exist under authority granted by the Child Care Act of 1971 (Title 38, Chapter 7 of the Code of Alabama). They are not suggestions — they are enforceable regulations. DHR updated the standards most recently in January 2026. If you are referencing an older version you found online, verify it against the current version at dhr.alabama.gov.

The standards govern two things: the physical condition of your home and your household practices once a child is placed. Both are reviewed during the home study.

Fire Safety Requirements

Fire safety is where licensing workers spend significant time. The specific requirements from Chapter 660-5-29:

• Smoke alarms must be installed within 10 feet of each bedroom door. They are also required at the head of every stairway.
• Fire extinguisher: You must have a 2A-10BC rated extinguisher (minimum 5 pounds) in plain view near an exit. A kitchen extinguisher under the sink does not satisfy this requirement — it must be visible and accessible.
• Emergency evacuation plan: A written evacuation plan must be posted prominently in the home. This is not optional. Workers check for it.

Missing a smoke alarm in a back bedroom or lacking a posted evacuation plan are among the most common reasons DHR identifies a deficiency during a first visit. These are inexpensive and fast to fix — but only if you know to check them before the worker arrives.

Sleeping Arrangements

Alabama's sleeping standards are specific and non-negotiable:

• Every child must have a separate bed with a mattress adequate to support good sleeping posture. Air mattresses do not qualify as permanent sleeping arrangements.
• Children over the age of 6 who are of the opposite sex cannot share a bedroom. If you plan to foster siblings of different sexes and have a two-bedroom home, think carefully about what age ranges you will accept.
• Foster children are strictly prohibited from sleeping with adults.
• Infants under 18 months must sleep alone in a crib that meets current CPSC safety standards — no drop-side cribs, tight-fitting sheets only, no loose bedding.

If you are planning to accept infant placements, have a compliant crib ready before your home study. A pack-and-play with an approved infant insert is acceptable; a decorative antique crib with wide slat spacing is not.

Hazardous Materials: Medications, Firearms, and Poisons

Medications

All medications — prescription and over-the-counter — must be stored where children cannot access them. A high bathroom shelf does not qualify. You need a locked container or a cabinet with a childproof latch that a determined child cannot defeat.

Once a child is placed, you are required to maintain a medication log documenting the name of each medication, the prescribing physician, dosage, time administered, and date. DHR does not always supply the form — having one ready from day one protects you.

The poison control center number (1-800-222-1222) must be posted near your telephone or in a designated emergency contact area. Workers check for this.

Firearms

Alabama's administrative code requires that safeguards be in place for firearms. State policy mandates that all guns be stored in a locked cabinet or safe, with ammunition stored in a separate locked location. The two-lock requirement — one for the firearm, one for the ammunition — is the standard that licensing workers apply. A gun in a case with a trigger lock but ammunition in the same unlocked drawer will not satisfy this requirement.

You are not prohibited from owning firearms as a foster parent. You are required to secure them in a way that makes them completely inaccessible to any child in the home.

Outdoor and Environmental Standards

The yard and exterior of your property are part of the inspection:

• The property must be free of hazards: abandoned vehicles, uncovered wells, stacked lumber with exposed nails. If your property has any of these, address them before the home visit.
• If your neighborhood has specific hazards (a busy road with no barrier, a steep embankment), you may need a fence enclosing the play area.
• If you have a swimming pool or hot tub, it must be rendered inaccessible to foster children when not under direct adult supervision. The supervising adult must have completed a basic water safety course and hold a current CPR certification. DHR can request a health department pool inspection.

Bedroom and Living Space

The Minimum Standards require that children have adequate space — their own drawer and closet space, not just a corner of someone else's room. The home must be clean and free of odors that would compromise health. Living areas, kitchens, and bathrooms are assessed for basic cleanliness and functionality.

Renters must have a lease in their name and typically must carry renters' insurance. Some county offices and private agencies require proof of coverage before approving the application.

What "Clean and Adequate" Means in Practice

The Minimum Standards use language like "clean and in good repair" and "adequate space." Workers are trained to assess this subjectively. What they are looking for is a home that looks like a safe, healthy environment for a child — not a showroom. A home with kids' artwork on the walls and a messy craft table is fine. A home with visible mold, broken windows, or pest evidence is not.

The most common physical deficiencies that cause application delays or conditional approvals:

1. Missing or incorrectly positioned smoke alarms
2. No visible fire extinguisher
3. Medications not locked
4. No posted evacuation plan
5. Firearms or ammunition not separately locked
6. Infant sleep area not compliant (no appropriate crib)
7. Pool or hot tub not secured

Every one of these is fixable before the home study — none of them require significant expense. The issue is that most applicants do not know the specific standard until after they have already failed it.

After a Deficiency Is Found

If the licensing worker identifies a deficiency during the home study visit, they will note it in their report and give you the opportunity to correct it. In most cases, you address the issue and schedule a follow-up verification — either in person or via photographs — before the application moves forward. This can add two to six weeks to your timeline.

If the deficiency is serious (structural problems, active pest infestation, presence of a disqualifying person in the household), the application may be paused until the issue is resolved or denied outright.

Ongoing Compliance

Meeting the Minimum Standards to get licensed is not a one-time event. You are subject to renewal reviews annually, and your licensing worker may conduct announced or unannounced visits throughout the year. The same standards that applied at licensing apply continuously. Keeping a mental checklist of the key items — medications locked, smoke alarms functional, evacuation plan posted — is part of ongoing foster parent practice.

The Alabama Foster Care Licensing Guide includes a 50-point home safety audit checklist built directly from the 2026 Minimum Standards, organized by room so you can walk through your home systematically before the licensing worker does.

See more United States guides →