Texas

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

• Complete background checks for household members aged 18 and older, including obtaining record of domestic violence reports

• Complete health and fire inspections

• Living space in the home provides at least 40 square feet per child (not including bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, unfinished attics, hallways)

• Bedrooms provide at least 40 square feet of space per occupant; single occupant bedrooms must have at least 80 square feet of floor space

• Recreation equipment including climbing equipment, slides, and swings are securely anchored; cannot be installed over asphalt or concrete

• In instances of separation or divorce, one spouse can be verified if the couple has lived apart for at least two years

• Complete interviews for adult children not living in the home, a family member not living in the home and at least 3 unrelated references