Colorado

While foster parents are just as unique as the children and youth they care for, the most important qualifications to become a foster parent include the ability to provide a safe, loving, and nurturing home.

Foster parents may be single, married, or cohabitating couples. Prospective foster parents must be willing to participate in an in-depth home study process and work collaboratively with the licensing team to demonstrate they are:

• In good physical and mental health.

• Financially able to support their household without the reimbursement from being a foster parent.

• Able to provide adequate physical space in their home to ensure a child or youth's privacy and comfort.

• Able to provide positive references.

• Willing to complete background checks.

• Willing to engage in pre-service training.

• Willing to work with multiple NYAP team members including educators, therapists, case managers, and medical professionals.


National Youth Advocate Program deeply values and is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and seeks and welcomes a diverse community of foster parents.

Additional state qualifications:

• At least 21 years old and have physical stamina to care for children

• Provide background checks for adults aged 18 and older

• At least three references who have known applicant for a year or longer

• Bedrooms for foster children provide at least 40 square feet of floor space for a bed

• A foster family may use an interpreter (adult) to communicate with others and to understand care requirements for children placed in the home

• Outdoor play space offers at least 75 square feet of per child in care between the ages of 12 months and 5 years old

• Indoor living space offers at least 35 square feet of space for each child (exclusive of halls, bathrooms, and bedrooms)