Meeting the needs of these children in temporary placements is the goal of the foster care program. Our greatest needs include homes for sibling groups, adolescents, African-American, Hispanic and medically fragile children. Foster Care Placements One of DCF's goals is to reunite children with their families as soon as it is appropriate if there is no longer a safety risk. Consequently, placements in foster homes may be very brief or lengthy. Foster parents work in partnership with the Department and the biological families.
Foster parents help the foster child to maintain a relationship with their siblings and parents.
The Department provides medical coverage and a monthly stipend to licensed foster homes to cover child care expenses. Foster parents are expected to participate in the child's social, medical and educational programs. Special Needs Adoption Special Needs Adoption is the adoption of children who bring certain needs or challenges to their new families. These children have physical, emotional or intellectual problems, are part of a sibling group or are older than the age when most children are adopted. A child with special needs will require extra assistance learning how to cope with the pains of the past and the trauma of being removed from their biological family.