Application & Approval Process
Take the step to become a foster parent! Find out whether fostering is right for you and your family. We continue to need, look for, and invite foster parents from all communities to ensure diverse, inclusive, and responsive services for children and youth. Learn how to become a foster parent in Ontario.
Interested in fostering and have questions?
We’d love to hear from you! Click the link below to fill out our Foster Parent Inquiry Form and someone from our team will be in touch.
Application and Approval Process
The fostering application process takes time and may be influenced by factors such as the applicant’s ability to possibly care for children with complex needs, siblings, and teens.
All foster parents in Ontario must undergo two key components of the approval and training process:
- Home visits by a Children’s Aid Society worker
- Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE): This home study is a comprehensive assessment to determine your eligibility, suitability, and readiness to become a foster parent.
- Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education (PRIDE): This mandatory provincial 27-hour training program is taken by all prospective foster parents in Ontario.
Assessing Foster Parents
All prospective foster parents will provide the following:
- Police background and child welfare checks for all adults living in your home to ensure no history of child abuse or neglect
- References from people who know you
- Medical exam and reference from your doctor for everyone living in your home
- Proof of ability to provide a safe, supportive, and secure living environment for children, including stable family income
