How to Apply for Foster Care in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Henrico, and Chesterfield

If you type "apply for foster care in Virginia" into a search engine, you'll find information about the Virginia Department of Social Services. But the VDSS doesn't process your application, schedule your home study, or issue your license. That's done by the local department in your city or county — and there are 120 of them.

This decentralization is the defining feature of Virginia's system and also its most confusing aspect for people new to it. The most common mistake prospective foster parents make is contacting the wrong office. You must apply through the LDSS that has jurisdiction over where you live — not where you work, not a neighboring county you've heard has a good program.

Here's how it works in Virginia's largest localities.

Richmond City: Richmond Department of Social Services

Richmond City has its own DSS office separate from Henrico County, even though both are in the Richmond metro area. If you live inside the city limits of Richmond, your licensing agency is Richmond City Department of Social Services.

Richmond typically runs NTDC pre-service training cohorts regularly given the department's size, though scheduling still depends on staff capacity. Contact Richmond DSS directly to ask about current cohort dates and how to register for an information session — that's always the first step.

Richmond is a high-need locality for foster homes. The city has significant concentrations of children in care relative to available foster families, which means the department is actively recruiting.

Finding your office: Search "Richmond City DSS" or visit the VDSS office locator at dss.virginia.gov/localagency/ — enter your zip code to confirm your jurisdiction.

Virginia Beach Department of Social Services

Virginia Beach operates one of the larger LDSS offices in the Commonwealth, serving the Tidewater region. The Virginia Beach DSS handles foster care licensing, adoption through foster care, and kinship placements for families residing within Virginia Beach city limits.

Virginia Beach is a military-heavy area given Naval Station Norfolk's proximity. If you're a military family at Norfolk or Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, confirm your residential zip code against the VDSS office locator — some neighborhoods fall under Chesapeake DSS rather than Virginia Beach.

The department holds regular information sessions for prospective foster parents. Training schedules and cohort availability can be confirmed by calling the Virginia Beach DSS foster care unit directly.

Henrico County Department of Social Services

Henrico County surrounds Richmond on three sides but is a completely separate jurisdiction with its own DSS office. If you live in Henrico — including areas like Short Pump, Glen Allen, or Sandston — you apply through Henrico County DSS, not Richmond City.

This is one of the most common source-of-confusion situations in the Richmond metro. A family living in Henrico who contacts Richmond City DSS will be redirected, losing time in the process.

Henrico typically runs active recruitment programs and maintains a reasonably sized foster family pool. Chesterfield/Colonial Heights DSS covers the area to the south of Richmond and also operates its own independent program.

Chesterfield County Department of Social Services

Chesterfield and Colonial Heights share an LDSS office. If you live in Chesterfield County or Colonial Heights, your licensing agency is Chesterfield/Colonial Heights DSS.

Chesterfield is one of the fastest-growing localities in Virginia and has an active foster care recruitment program. The department manages its own training schedule and home study process independently of neighboring Richmond City or Henrico.

Northern Virginia: Fairfax County and the "NOVA Maze"

Northern Virginia deserves specific mention because the density of jurisdictions creates particular confusion. Fairfax County, Arlington County, Prince William County, Alexandria City, and Loudoun County are all separate LDSS offices operating independently, even though they're geographically adjacent.

Fairfax County Department of Family Services is one of the most well-resourced LDSS offices in the state. They were an early adopter of the NTDC training curriculum and run frequent cohorts. They also publish detailed guidance for prospective foster families on their website.

If you live in Reston, McLean, Falls Church (unincorporated Fairfax), Springfield, or any other unincorporated Fairfax area, your office is Fairfax County DFS. If you live in the City of Falls Church, it has its own tiny DSS office. If you live in Alexandria City, it's Alexandria DSS — not Fairfax.

The Rule: Jurisdiction Follows Your Residence

Regardless of where you are in Virginia, the rule is the same: your licensing agency is determined by where you live, not where you prefer to apply.

Steps to find your correct office:

1. Go to dss.virginia.gov/localagency/
2. Enter your home zip code
3. Note the jurisdiction name and office contact information
4. Call that office to ask about their next information session

Do not email a general VDSS address. Do not call a neighboring county. Contact your correct LDSS directly and ask specifically about the foster care licensing process and when the next information session is scheduled.

Private CPAs as an Alternative

If your local LDSS runs infrequent training cohorts, has long wait times, or doesn't serve the specific population you want to foster, a private Child-Placing Agency (CPA) is an alternative. Agencies like Bethany Christian Services, enCircle, and Children's Home Society of Virginia operate across multiple Virginia localities and may have more scheduling flexibility.

However, CPAs have their own placement profiles and may specialize in specific populations (therapeutic placements, infants, older youth). Make sure a CPA's focus aligns with your goals before committing to their process.

A Note on Cross-Jurisdictional Placements

Virginia's 120-locality model means that a licensed foster family in one county can receive a placement from a different jurisdiction. If you're licensed in Henrico and there's a child in Richmond City who needs a home, you may receive that placement call. Cross-jurisdictional placements require coordination between two LDSS offices, but they're common. Your license is the credential that matters, regardless of where the placing agency is.

For a complete walkthrough of Virginia's application process — including the documents you'll need, the home safety inspection standards, and how the home study works in practice — the Virginia Foster Care Licensing Guide covers the full picture that applies regardless of which locality you're working with.

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