How to Become a Foster Parent in Delaware

Delaware has roughly 500 children in out-of-home placements at any given time, and the Division of Family Services (DFS) is actively recruiting families across all three counties. But if you've visited the DSCYF website hoping for a clear roadmap, you probably found placeholder portals and trifold brochures that raise more questions than they answer. Here's the actual licensing process, broken into concrete steps.

Who Can Apply

Delaware's eligibility criteria are more inclusive than many neighboring states, but the baseline is firm. You must be at least 21 years old and a Delaware resident with a stable living arrangement for at least one year. Singles, married couples, domestic partners, and same-sex couples all qualify — DFS evaluates the stability of your household, not its structure.

Financially, you need to demonstrate that your income covers your existing expenses without relying on the foster care board rate. You don't need to own a home or earn a specific salary, but you do need to show self-sufficiency. Renters are welcome as long as the lease is stable.

A medical evaluation from a licensed physician is required for all applicants, certifying "reasonably good health" and freedom from communicable diseases. Beyond physical health, DFS assesses emotional stability — they're looking for a "responsible adult lifestyle" and the capacity to deal with feelings of anger, frustration, and sorrow in constructive ways. Delaware also prohibits smoking and vaping inside the home and in vehicles when transporting foster children, and all applicants must demonstrate freedom from substance abuse including alcohol misuse.

The Seven Steps to Licensing

The entire process typically takes four to seven months, depending on how quickly you complete each phase and whether out-of-state background checks are needed.

Step 1: Attend an Information Session. DFS holds mandatory three-hour sessions monthly in each county — New Castle (Wilmington), Kent (Dover), and Sussex (Georgetown). This is the prerequisite for everything else. You'll get a realistic overview of the system, meet current foster families, and have a chance to ask direct questions to DFS staff. Don't skip this even if you've been researching online for months — DFS won't process your application without confirmed attendance.

Step 2: Register on the Foster Parent Portal. After the info session, you register online through the FOCUS (For Our Children's Ultimate Success) system, which triggers the assignment of a Foster Home Coordinator (FHC). This person becomes your primary point of contact throughout the process. Write down their direct number — you'll need it.

Step 3: Complete PRIDE Pre-Service Training. The Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education curriculum runs 27 to 30 hours across nine sessions. It covers attachment and trauma, positive discipline (corporal punishment is prohibited in Delaware), cultural competence, and concurrent planning. Children & Families First typically delivers this training across all three counties. Sessions are usually held on weeknight evenings or Saturdays, but schedules vary by location and cohort availability.

Step 4: Submit Your Formal Application. After training, you submit a detailed package including financial statements, medical reports, autobiographical statements, proof of homeowners or renters insurance, auto insurance, and three non-relative personal references.

Step 5: Complete Background Checks. Every household member age 18 and older must clear a four-part background investigation: Delaware SBI criminal history (fingerprinted), FBI national check (fingerprinted), Delaware Child Protection Registry search, and National Sex Offender Registry search. Fingerprinting is done through the IdentoGO digital system. This is often the slowest step, taking 15 to 60 days, and stretches longer if any household member lived outside Delaware in the past five years because DFS must request registry checks from those states too.

Step 6: Pass the Home Study. A contracted assessment worker conducts at least three home visits and interviews every household member. The home study isn't just a physical inspection — it's a deep psycho-social evaluation following a competency-based model. The assessor explores your childhood, your history with loss, your relationship dynamics, and your capacity to handle the emotional demands of fostering. They'll also do a room-by-room safety check against the standards in 9 DE Admin. Code 201.

Step 7: Licensing Committee Review. Your completed assessment goes before DFS leadership for final approval. Your license will specify the maximum number of children (usually capped at five total in the home including your biological children unless a sibling group waiver is granted), plus the age range and gender of children you're approved for.

What Slows People Down

DFS data points to three common bottlenecks. First, incomplete medical forms — make sure your physician checks every required box on the DFS health form, not just the ones they're used to filling out. This is a DFS-specific form that's more detailed than a standard employment physical. Second, out-of-state registry checks for anyone who lived outside Delaware in the last five years. These depend on the other state's processing speed, which can stretch your timeline from four months to six or even longer. Third, home safety violations, particularly water temperature above 120 degrees Fahrenheit at taps accessible to children and firearms stored with ammunition instead of in separate locked cabinets.

Delaware's compact geography (the state is only 35 miles wide at its broadest) means shorter travel times to training sessions and DFS offices compared to larger states. DFS tries to keep children in their original school districts through a Community-Based Placement model, which means licensed homes in every corner of the state are valuable. But "small" doesn't mean "simple" — the regulatory framework under 9 DE Admin. Code 201 is just as detailed as Pennsylvania's or New York's.

Types of Licenses

Delaware classifies foster homes into several categories, and your license type determines the children placed with you. Traditional homes serve children with typical challenges including trauma history but whose needs fall in the mild-to-moderate range. Specialized homes are trained for children with significant intellectual, developmental, or medical needs. Therapeutic Foster Care homes are part of the child's clinical treatment team for severe behavioral health issues. Respite homes provide short-term relief care for other foster families. You start with a traditional license, and can pursue specialized or therapeutic certification later with additional training.

Licenses, Renewal, and What Happens Next

New foster parent licenses are valid for one year. Experienced, compliant families may receive two-year renewals. You'll need updated medical exams and background clearances at each renewal, plus a minimum of 12 to 15 hours of annual continuing education — more for specialized or therapeutic homes, which can require up to 20 hours. Training can be completed through online modules, self-study, or in-person cluster meetings organized by the Delaware Foster Parent Association.

If your application is denied or your license is revoked for non-compliance, you have the right to an administrative hearing conducted by an independent officer with no prior involvement in your case — but you must request it within 10 business days of the notice.

Your Next Step

If you're ready to move from research to action, our Delaware Foster Care Licensing Guide walks you through every requirement with document checklists, home safety prep lists, and PRIDE training session trackers — everything DFS expects but doesn't spell out in one place.

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