Change a Life

In New Jersey, the term Foster Parent has been replaced with Resource Parent. This term more accurately reflects the Resource Parent’s supportive role to the children, the children’s family, and the professional team. The Resource Parent serves a critical role in supporting reunification efforts (the primary goal for most children entering out-of-home care).

Thank you for your interest in becoming a resource parent to children and youth in state care. NJ resource parents are essential members of the professional team working collaboratively towards meeting the needs of the child/youth. Successful resource parents possess an abundance of patience, empathy, and unwavering commitment to making a difference in a young person’s life.

New Jersey needs passionate, committed individuals/families like YOU who can offer loving guidance and support to children while their birth family mends.

Resource Parents should be:

• Racially/culturally sensitive, and open to accepting children from diverse backgrounds
• Open to caring for children who have experienced trauma, and often have increased behavioral/mental health/medical needs
• Open to caring for sibling groups, and maintaining connections with siblings who cannot be placed together
• Willing to partner with CP&P, courts, the treatment team, community partners, and ideally the child’s family, to support reunification

* CP&P will not preclude a person from being a foster parent based solely on their culture, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, affectional orientation, or marital/civil union or domestic partnership status.

Are you curious as to why NJ and the rest of the country is prioritizing kinship care? Watch the video below.

 

Note on Kinship Care: If you are a relative or family friend looking to provide kinship care to a child who is in state care, please do not use the link below. Instead, please call 1-609-888-7055 for information on the kinship application process.

Note on Adoption: If you are interested in adopting a child, you will need to complete the application and following the same steps as a traditional resource parent. If you are interested in learning more about waiting children and youth in NJ, please visit the New Jersey Adoption Photolisting. If you are interested in caring for children and youth out of state, please visit the national Adopt Us Kids Website

If you have questions about being a licensed resource parent or the process of becoming a licensed resource parent, contact embrella at: support@embrella.org or 1-800-222-0047.

While NJ has specific needs at the county level, we welcome inquiries from anyone interested in becoming a Resource Parent.

Submit an inquiry using the link or QR code below, and complete the Resource Family Program Inquiry Form.

• If you mark that you would like to receive general information, embrella will contact you to answer any question you may have.
• If you feel you are ready to get started, please be sure to mark this on the form and you will be connected with a dedicated recruiter who can provide personalized information and guidance based on your interests.

 

This link takes you to the DCF Binti site for the Application.

If you have issues with the application form, Binti’s Support Team is there to help you. The Binti Help Center is available 24/7 with articles and resources on how to use Binti. Monday-Friday, 9AM-10PM Eastern time, Binti also offers US-based live support via chat (the blue button in the bottom right corner of your Binti screen!), email (help@binti.com), and phone (1-844-424-6844).