How to Become a Foster Parent in South Dakota

South Dakota has approximately 1,685 children in foster care at any given time, and the state's "Stronger Families Together" initiative is actively recruiting 300 new licensed families every year. If you've been thinking about fostering, the process is manageable — but it involves more moving parts than most people expect. Here's exactly what's required and in what order.

Who Is Eligible to Become a Foster Parent in South Dakota

The South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS) licenses foster families under Administrative Rule ARSD 67:42:05. Eligibility is broader than many people assume.

Age: At least one primary caregiver in the household must be 21 years old or older. There is no upper age limit.

Residency: You must be a South Dakota resident. You do not need to own your home — renters and apartment dwellers qualify.

Marital status: Not a factor. Single adults, married couples, and domestic partners can all become licensed foster parents.

Income: DSS does not require a minimum income. What they do require is that you can demonstrate financial stability — that your household income covers your existing family's needs without relying on foster care payments. Tax returns or pay stubs are the standard documentation.

Prior parenting experience: Not required. DSS is looking for emotional maturity, stability, and a genuine commitment to a child's well-being, not a prior parenting resume.

The South Dakota Foster Care Licensing Steps

Step 1: Contact Your Regional DSS Office

Licensing is administered through six regional hubs. The right starting point depends on where you live:

• Sioux Falls (Minnehaha, Lincoln counties): 605-367-5444
• Rapid City (Pennington, Fall River, Custer): 605-394-2525
• Aberdeen (Brown, McPherson, Edmunds, Marshall): 605-626-3160
• Watertown (Codington, Roberts, Grant, Clark): 605-882-5000
• Mitchell (Davison, McCook, Aurora, Hanson): 605-995-8000
• Pierre (Hughes, Stanley, Sully, Hyde): 605-773-3612

Alternatively, you can begin through a licensed private child-placing agency like Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota (605-444-7500), which covers the entire state and provides additional wrap-around support.

When you call, ask two things: (1) how to submit your application, and (2) when the next PRIDE training cohort starts. In rural areas, PRIDE sessions are offered quarterly at best, and they fill up. Starting your paperwork while you wait for a training slot is the most efficient use of time.

Step 2: Complete the DSS Application

The foster care application collects basic household information and initiates your background check process. Along with the application, you'll need to submit:

• Autobiographical statement (a written narrative of your life history and parenting philosophy)
• Three character references — at least one from a relative and one from a non-relative
• Physical examination results for every adult household member (must be within 12 months of application)
• Current vaccination records for any household pets
• Most recent federal tax return (Form 1040)

Step 3: Background Checks

Every adult household member — anyone 18 or older living in the home — must complete a background check. South Dakota requires four separate screenings:

1. South Dakota Central Registry — checks for any substantiated child abuse or neglect reports within the state
2. South Dakota DCI (Division of Criminal Investigation) — state criminal history
3. FBI fingerprint check — national criminal history
4. Out-of-state registry checks — if any household member has lived in another state in the past five years, DSS must request their child abuse and neglect registry records from those states

The DCI and FBI checks require fingerprinting. In Sioux Falls, this is done electronically via LiveScan at the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office (appointment required). In smaller communities, your local law enforcement office typically handles fingerprint cards. The combined state/FBI check fee runs approximately $50.

Background check processing is often the longest bottleneck in the process, particularly for out-of-state registry requests. Start this step as early as possible.

Step 4: 30-Hour PRIDE Pre-Service Training

Before you can be licensed, everyone in the household who will be a primary caregiver must complete the 30-hour PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education) curriculum, delivered through the state's "Stronger Families Together" program.

PRIDE covers six core areas:

1. Your role as a foster parent within the DSS team
2. Trauma and attachment — how removal affects a child's development
3. Loss and grief — helping children process separation from their birth family
4. Birth family partnerships and supporting reunification
5. Cultural identity, ICWA, and tribal connections
6. Understanding permanency and legal goals

Training is typically delivered across six to nine sessions. Since the pandemic, DSS has incorporated online modules through FosterParentCollege.com to give rural families more flexibility. The full 30 hours must be completed before your license is issued.

Step 5: Home Study

The home study is a professional evaluation conducted by a Family Services Specialist or a private agency licensing worker. It includes:

• An in-home interview with all household members (children may be observed rather than formally interviewed)
• A physical inspection of your home against ARSD 67:42:05 safety standards
• Review of all your submitted documents, background checks, and physicals

The home safety inspection checks for: smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every level, locked firearm storage with ammunition stored separately, locked medication storage, water heater set to 120°F or below, and secured access to any pools or water hazards.

For rural and agricultural properties, additional standards apply: annual well water testing (for bacteria and nitrates), functioning septic system, secured farm chemicals and machinery, and capped abandoned wells. Rural applicants often have the most anxiety about the home inspection — the key is addressing each item before the specialist visits, not after.

Step 6: License Issued

Once all components are complete — application, background checks, PRIDE training, and a passing home study — DSS issues your foster family license. The license must be renewed every two years and requires 12 hours of annual continuing education to maintain.

How Long Does the Licensing Process Take?

The average timeline in South Dakota is 3 to 6 months. Common delays include:

• Waiting for the next PRIDE cohort — training may only be offered once per quarter in rural regions
• Out-of-state background checks — other states' response times vary widely
• Scheduling delays for the home study visit itself

Starting your background check paperwork and reference letters the same week you call the DSS office puts you in the best position to move through the process efficiently.

Bedroom and Household Capacity Rules

Your home must meet specific space requirements:

• Maximum of 6 children in the home total, including your biological children under 18
• No more than 2 children under age 2 in the home (including your own)
• Children of different sexes over age 6 cannot share a bedroom
• Each foster child must have their own bed with clean linens — no bed-sharing with adults

Relatives applying for a kinship license can sometimes receive waivers on bedroom space when keeping a sibling group together.

What Happens After You're Licensed

Once licensed, your name enters the DSS placement database. When a child needs placement, a regional coordinator will match the child to a licensed home based on age, needs, and location. You may receive placement calls at any hour. You'll be given brief information about the child and asked to accept or decline.

Every child placed with you is automatically enrolled in South Dakota Medicaid. Medical, dental, and vision services are covered as long as you use Medicaid-enrolled providers — you pay nothing out of pocket for the child's health care.

You'll also receive a monthly maintenance reimbursement based on the child's age, intended to cover food, shelter, supervision, and personal items.

If you're open to adoption, South Dakota operates under concurrent planning — meaning foster placements can be structured as "legal risk" placements where the family is willing to adopt if the court terminates parental rights and reunification isn't possible. Approximately 60% of adoptions from South Dakota foster care are finalized by the child's foster parent.

The complete licensing process — PRIDE training breakdown, home inspection checklists for both urban and rural properties, background check sequencing, and the ICWA rules you need to understand before your first placement — is covered in the South Dakota Foster Care Licensing Guide. It's designed to compress your timeline and give you the specific answers the DSS website doesn't.

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