Although parenting is a full-time job, you cannot think of foster parenting as a way to cash out. If you’re in it for the money, then you’re fostering for the wrong reasons.
Foster families don’t actually get “paid” for taking care of a child. They receive reimbursements for the money they spend taking care of the child’s needs.
This money is not meant to be used to buy a new car or pay for your rent or some other expenses that don’t have anything to do with the immediate essential needs of the foster child.
Bear in mind that irrespective of the subsidy or financial assistance you receive, you will still be responsible for providing the essential items needed to adequately care for the child and the financial cost of that will be borne by you.
If you’re planning on being approved and serving as a foster parent in California, you’ll probably still want to know how much reimbursement you can expect to receive to help offset some of the costs of raising your foster child.
In this article, we answer some of the most common questions prospective foster parents have about much they can expect to get paid, how the amount is determined, and other incentives they might be given to help take some of the weight of raising a foster child off their shoulders.
- How much do foster parents get paid monthly per child: Depending on the county where you’re licensed as a foster parent, the reimbursement package ranges from $25 to $30 per day for each child. This amount increases if you’re fostering a child with additional needs.
- When do the payments start coming in: It usually takes a few weeks for the first payment to arrive, but that depends on the day the child was placed in your home. If you are with a Foster Family Agency (FFA), the counties generally send checks to the FFA around the initial 15 days of the month, so it could be that you have to wait a few weeks. Once the first payment arrives, you can expect to get a paycheck once every month to cover the essential needs of the child(ren) in your home.
- Take advantage of the cost-saving opportunities available to you: We know that bringing up a child today is an expensive affair. The state tries to soften the impact on your finances even further by giving valuable tax breaks to foster parents. There are also programs offering free stuff like clothing for foster children.
1. How much do foster parents get paid monthly per child?
The state of California pays foster parents an average of $1000 to $2,609 per month to help with the expenses from taking care of the child. It is one of the highest-paying states in the nation in this regard. This figure is for each child you take into your home. The highest rates correspond to children with additional needs, because they will require more attention, time, and tending to than other children. Know that you can’t just pocket the payments and take the child to the hospital or to visit other professionals that help with taking care of them. You need to be patient with children, shower them with more attention, listen and learn their needs, and basically find ways to care for them that wouldn’t complicate their situation even further. Children may have been severely neglected, suffered physical/sexual/emotional abuse, and may be carrying around complex emotional issues as a result of what they’ve been through. They may also have some condition—depression, anxiety, autism, or physical disablement—that prevents them from acting appropriately for their age or being able to respond normally to certain situations. Whatever their challenge is, you need to be understanding. Remember that you’re dealing with a person’s life. The child entrusted to your care will come to depend on you for so much, and you cannot afford to do wrong by them. It is also important to identify a foster family agency that is committed to providing you with the ongoing support needed. This will go a long way in ensuring that you are successful as a foster parent. You need to constantly examine yourself, be open to learning new skills and training that will allow you to communicate better with your foster child, and be an incredible parent to them. Raising a child is a lot to undertake, but it’s one of the most fulfilling things you can do. Even if you decide to adopt your foster child, you’ll still be entitled to receive a small monthly payment to assist with the child’s upkeep. The amount of money you’ll receive will depend on the child’s age and personal needs. The amount you receive in reimbursement depends on the county you reside in or the foster family. In California, the state prescribes a minimum monthly payment, but agencies may provide higher than the minimum. Talk to a foster family agency to learn more about what your foster care reimbursement payments may be. Hopefully, this payment will help make foster care a little less stressful for you and your family.2. When do the payments start coming in?
Every county or Foster Family Agency has its own timeline for payments, which you’ll be informed of after your application is approved and you’re given the clearance to start fostering. You will need to have some funds available while you wait at least one month before the payments are sent to you. Some counties are better at expediting payment than others, so the time for the first check to arrive may vary. Make sure you have money saved up to cover the childcare costs until the subsidy payments start coming in. In some cases, the county social worker may approve a one-time extra allowance for purchasing clothes for your foster child, but that also takes a while to arrive. So, be prepared to go shopping for clothes for your new ward out of your own pocket. But no need to go overboard with shopping. Like we mentioned earlier, this payment is not meant to cover all of the child’s expenses, only the basic needs. This includes:- Transportation
- Food
- Clothing
- Personal expenses
This Post Has 18 Comments
What do i need to do to become a foster parent to a child that has been in my care since she was 8 mo old .She is almost 10 yrs old now
Hi Susan,
There are a number of programs that could be available to you. for example, are you related? do you have guardianship through a probate court? you can potentially receive foster care monthly payments for a child in your care and what programs you may be eligible to depend on a number of factors. Reach out to your local county child welfare department to inquire about assistance and to discuss your circumstances. you could also possibly contact the State about an independent adoption if your child qualifies.
Hello can you tell me what is the minimum income that is required for us to foster a child? We are a family of 5
There are no income requirements.
First step is to be certified as foster parent/s and they will tell you what you need to do, which is basically after finger printing, training and getting you certificate, they will check your living space.
You can either fill and file the application on line, or check with non profit agencies near where you live to help with filling out the application or contact your local department of social services directly, they will assist you.
As long as you can pay your bills. If you have section 8 you can still be a foster parent as long as you can pay your bills and have savings or credit cards to use until your payments start. Justice involved foster youth get 7 to 10k
Hello i would like to ask if an adopted child in the Phillippines but was adppted by filipino (american citizen ) can this child eligible of having a monthly allowance also in state of America? His father is still working in state of America right now. But the child is in the Philippines. Thanks you so much for your reply
In or out of US adoption do not qualify for any stipend.
It’s only when you foster a child that qualifies you to get paid for the child’s cost of living.
How do I find out if a kid is registered in foster system and if his people are getting paid for him?
you can’t find that out unless you are a family member to them
Check with your local department of social services.
If the child has been taken away from birth parents, they will be put in foster care and DSS will find a placement for the child/ren.
You might have figured out what to do by now if not there are non profit agencies that can help you to start your foster care application. This is not only to help you with raising this child, but also offers her many great opportunities when she is older, such as housing, college scholarship and many more. I am not sure what state you live in, but pretty much the process is the same.
do you get paid more if you go through the county or through an agency? I am in Orange county CA
Hi, Im separated from my husband and we have 3 children. We have 3 bedrooms. 1 bed can be a shared room. Is this possible for me to be a foster parent?btw, im from Oregon.
Hello. If CPS contacts us to take on a family members baby, will we qualify for any financial help?
Hi
Would I be able to get a home through section 8 ?
if I want to foster a baby or child. I am currently living in
a hotel . I am in the middle of waiting for EDD. I do have a lot of love to give.
Let me know
Thank you
Mariann
What are the main differences between going through the county or agency?
Hi, I am currently the legal guardian of a 9 month old and it is court ordered. I am curious since we are not related to the child, if we qualify for foster care payments for additional help in supporting his needs.
Thank you!
What happens when you don’t receive a payment? Who do you contact?