Resource Family Approval in California: What It Is and How It Works

If you've been researching how to become a foster parent in California, you've encountered the term "Resource Family Approval" — often just called RFA. Many people start this process expecting to "get a foster license" and spend weeks confused about why that terminology doesn't show up anywhere on California government websites. Here's why.

Why California Uses RFA Instead of Foster Licensing

Before 2017, California had a fragmented system. Foster family homes required one type of license. Relatives providing kinship care went through a separate approval process. Families who wanted to adopt through the foster system had to complete an entirely separate home study after they were already licensed as foster parents.

The Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) — California's sweeping child welfare overhaul — replaced all of this with a single standard: Resource Family Approval. RFA is the consolidation of foster family licensing, relative approval, and adoption and guardianship clearances into one comprehensive process.

Once you are RFA-approved, you are simultaneously cleared for:

• Foster care placement
• Legal guardianship
• Adoption

You never have to restart for a new permanency purpose. This eliminated what used to be a significant source of placement instability — children losing time and stability while their caregivers re-qualified under different approval frameworks.

Who Administers RFA in California

RFA has two administrative layers:

State level: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) writes policy, issues the Written Directives that govern the program, and handles legal appeals. The CDSS Community Care Licensing Division (CCL) handles licensing oversight.

County level: Each of California's 58 county welfare departments processes applications, conducts home assessments, and supervises approved resource families. Counties also use the Binti online portal for application tracking in most jurisdictions.

FFA level: Private Foster Family Agencies are licensed by CDSS to certify homes on behalf of counties. FFAs handle their own recruitment, assessment, and supervision within the RFA framework.

The RFA Written Directives

The Written Directives are the governing document for the entire RFA program. They have the same force and effect as law. Every county and FFA must follow them.

The current version is Written Directives Version 8.0, which has been updated through 2025. Earlier versions (5.0, 6.0, 7.0) remain relevant for understanding what changed and why, but Version 8 is the controlling document.

Key updates in the most recent iterations include:

• Regulations regarding video cameras in resource family homes — audio recording inside the home is strictly prohibited under All County Letter (ACL) 24-50; video disclosure to placement workers and youth is required
• AB 2830 (2024) mandate for a simplified kinship approval process by 2027
• Ongoing updates to rates following annual California Necessities Index adjustments

If you're searching for "RFA Written Directives Version 8," you'll find the document at the CDSS website. It runs to hundreds of pages and is written for administrators, not families. What most applicants need is a plain-English translation of how the requirements apply to their specific situation.

The Three Phases of RFA

The RFA process is a tripartite structure:

Phase 1: Application and Documentation

Initiation begins with submitting:

• RFA-01A — Resource Family Application
• RFA-01B — Criminal Record Statement

These forms go to either the county welfare department or your FFA. For relative caregivers with an emergency placement, these must be submitted within 5 business days of the child's arrival.

Alongside these forms, you'll need to provide:

• Proof of identity
• Income verification (to demonstrate financial self-sufficiency)
• Proof of residency or property control

Phase 2: Background Checks and Training

All adults 18+ in the home complete LiveScan fingerprinting. This runs checks through the California DOJ (3-day turnaround), FBI (5-day turnaround), Child Abuse Central Index (CACI — 4 to 6 weeks), and Megan's Law registry.

Any "hit" on any check triggers an extended exemption review process that can add 75 days or more to the timeline. This is the most common source of unexpected delay.

Pre-approval training (minimum 12 hours, MAPP or PRIDE curriculum) must be completed before the application can be finalized.

Phase 3: Home Assessment and Family Evaluation

The RFA-03 Home Health and Safety Assessment is the physical inspection — firearms storage, detectors, pool fencing, sleeping arrangements, hazardous material storage.

The RFA-05 Written Report (family evaluation) is the narrative psychosocial assessment conducted through at least two face-to-face interviews per applicant. It covers your background, motivations, discipline philosophy, relationships, and readiness to care for children with specific needs.

When all three phases are complete and the county approves your application, you receive an RFA-05A Resource Family Approval Certificate.

Ongoing Obligations After Approval

RFA approval has no fixed expiration date, but it requires annual maintenance:

• Annual update (RFA-06) confirming continued compliance
• 8 hours of continuing training per year to maintain active status
• Portability application (RFA-10) if you move to a new residence

If your application is denied, you have 25 calendar days from the date the Notice of Action (Form RFA-09) is served to file a written appeal. Hearings are conducted by the CDSS State Hearings Division.

The Current California RFA Landscape

Approximately 45,000 children are in California's foster care system. Los Angeles County alone represents the largest foster care market in the United States, though its population has dropped from over 21,000 in 2020 to around 11,745 in late 2025. The remaining caseload is more complex — children with higher behavioral and medical needs who require more specialized placement.

The state is actively recruiting resource families, particularly in communities that reflect the demographics of children in care. Applications that move through the process smoothly tend to be ones where families understood what was coming at each stage before the assessor arrived.

The California Foster Care Licensing Guide walks through all three RFA phases in plain English, including the forms, common bottlenecks, and how county-level variations affect your specific timeline.

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