What is Traditional Foster Care?
Traditional Foster Care through SCYAP is part of a statewide partnership with the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SC DSS). This program provides safe, loving homes for children who are in foster care but do not need intensive therapeutic services.
While these children may not require specialized care, they still need a stable and nurturing environment. SCYAP matches them with trained foster families who can meet their everyday needs while offering emotional support.
Just like in Therapeutic Foster Care, SCYAP assigns a dedicated caseworker – called a Treatment Coordinator – to each foster family. This person helps guide the foster parents, offers training, and supports the family throughout the placement.
Foster Parents are Special People
Foster parents are needed across South Carolina. The first step to becoming a foster parent is learning more about how foster care works.
Children and teens enter foster care when they’ve experienced abuse, neglect, loss, or unsafe living conditions. Being removed from their home can bring feelings of fear, confusion, anger, and sadness. Caring for children with these emotions and life experiences can be challenging – but it’s also incredibly meaningful and rewarding.
Foster parents are everyday heroes. They open their hearts and homes to children for days, months, or even years. Some may even choose to adopt. Foster parents give their time, energy, love, and patience to help children feel safe and supported. Their impact is life-changing – for both the children and themselves.
What are the requirements for being a foster parent?
It’s not too hard to become a foster parent but there are some minimum requirements that you, your family, and your home must meet.
What about age, race, religion, and sex?
You must be at least 21 years of age. You can be male or female and any race or religion. You can be single, married, widowed, divorced, or have a room-mate or life partner.
Do I need a lot of money?
You don’t have to have a lot of money to be a foster parent, but you do need to be able to make ends meet. Foster parents must show that they can take on the additional expenses of having foster children in their home and they cannot be dependent upon the daily foster parent payment as their source of income.
SCYAP foster families receive a tax-free reimbursement to cover basic expenses of caring for each child placed in their home. Payments are made twice monthly via direct deposit with the daily amount being based on the severity of the child’s needs and the number of days the child was placed in the foster home.
Do I have to own my home?
You can be a foster parent whether you own or rent your home. It doesn’t matter if it is an apartment, mobile home, or a house. It just has to be safe and have enough room for additional children to live, play and sleep. Foster parents are required to pass fire, safety, and health inspections and have home owners or renters insurance.
What will I need to do?
You and any other adult household member (age 18 or older) must undergo and pass background checks, including a review of past child abuse and neglect charges and a criminal background check through SLED and the FBI, and not be listed on either the State or National Sex Offender Registry.
You and all other household members (including any children residing in your home) must have a physical examination by a qualified medical professional that verifies that you (and all other household members) are in good physical and mental health.
To help you understand how to care for foster children, you will have to go to training before and during your time as a foster parent.
What about the child's family?
Foster care is meant to be temporary, and in most cases the goal is for the child to return to his or her family. Foster parents can encourage the child’s connection with his or her family by assisting with visitation, setting up telephone calls, facilitating letter writing or card sending, passing along pictures of the child to the family, etc. We will ensure that involvement with the child’s family is done in a manner that is safe and as comfortable as possible for everyone.
Two Types of Foster Care at SCYAP
SCYAP offers two types of foster care in South Carolina:
- Traditional Foster Care
- Therapeutic Foster Care
Both programs provide safe, caring homes for children, but the services and expectations are different.
- Traditional Foster Careis for children who need a stable, loving home but don’t require therapeutic support.
- Therapeutic Foster Careis for children who have experienced severe trauma or have emotional, behavioral, or medical needs that require additional care.
Foster parents may choose to provide one or both types of care, depending on their training, experience, and the needs of the child.
Ready to Learn More?
Learning about foster care is the first step in helping a child in need. If you’re curious or interested, submit an inquiry today. A SCYAP team member will contact you with more information. There’s no obligation—just a chance to learn more and discover how you can make a difference in a child’s life.
Please note: SCYAP only licenses foster families who live in South Carolina.