Respite care is designed to provide relief to foster parents who are meeting the extraordinary demands of children in foster care. Respite days are available for every child in family foster care. Foster parents are encourage to use respite care every month. Children in care are eligible for counseling and other mental health services. Foster parents are encouraged to be involved with the child's counseling, when appropriate.
Training is provided by the department that meets the needs of foster parents.
Foster parents re required to receive a minimum of six hours of on-going training each year. Foster parent associations at the local, state and national levels are a major support for a large number of members. These associations are organized to meet the needs of their members for support, information, guidance and to arrange events as groups. Every foster home has a social worker assigned to it for support. This worker will visit the foster home and be available for assistance as needed.