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Domestic Foster Care2024-04-26T21:04:21-07:00

You Can Help
Children In
The U.S. Foster
Care System

You Can Help
Children In
The U.S. Foster
Care System

We are looking for caring and compassionate people
and families to provide temporary homes for children
or youth until they can be reunited with their families.

We are looking for caring and compassionate people
and families to provide temporary homes for children
or youth until they can be reunited with their families.

We are looking for caring and compassionate
people and families to provide temporary
homes for children or youth until they can
be reunited with their families.

Learn More

What is
Domestic
Foster Care
(Safe Harbor)?

Domestic Foster Care is a temporary service provided domestically for children or youth who cannot live with their families, or as we like to call it, “providing a ‘Safe Harbor'”. The goal of Domestic Foster Care is to provide a safe, family-home environment until reunification with the birth family is possible.

We are actively providing Domestic Foster Care Services in these counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego.

More About Domestic Foster Care

Gift of Family

Family is one of the ideal places for a child to grow and develop into healthy adulthood. Each year thousands of children are separated from their families due to neglect, abuse, and various other situations. These situations create upheaval in their lives, forcing them to leave the place they have called home. They embark on life-changing journeys, seeking a place they can be safe and call home.

Give the Gift of Family

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Each child has a different story, but the love and support you can provide will change your and their lives forever. Join us in our mission to provide vulnerable youth with the opportunity of living in family environments, which are essential for their development and well-being.

Contact us to find out how this new chapter can begin as your family offers hope and healing to a child or youth in need.

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Helpful Information

Special Needs Resources

Resources and Links

The Process

LEARN ABOUT: REFUGEE FOSTER CARE

A Story from a Past ICA Foster Child

“A little background. I’m originally from Honduras. I now have two daughters.

I was raised by my mother and my grandmother; I have 4 sisters.

When I decided to go to America, I was 15 years old. I had never left my country, so my trip was a new adventure. When I left Honduras, I didn’t know what my destination was. The trip was a month and I had to travel by train. I spent a few days without eating so my journey was hard and difficult, but despite that long and difficult adventure, I learned a lot about life.

My experience in the United States has been kind of strange and good. I could say I’ve met good people, but I have also had to deal with people who don’t like Latinos. It’s understandable because in the world there are good people and bad people too, but I’m lucky because I have known more good people than bad people.

Not all of us are fortunate to have loving parents and family who take care of us. When we look for love or understanding, it is difficult to think that someone else could love us because if our own family did not love us, how will a stranger person love us? This is why we close our heart and we get angry and we do not let anyone in, so each young immigrant has a different problem. And the only thing they need is people who make them feel loved and who interact with us, include us, who love and support without judging who we are or were.

I have gone through difficult stages, but the time I spent with ICA has been good. They have given me hope and they helped me a lot and I have gotten well. I am grateful to all of them – ICA is always available for help and I am very encouraged by my progress and how I’ve learned new things.  

It is difficult to help young people like us, not all of us are responsible, respectful, and educated, but I believe that every person deserves a second chance because sometimes we only look at the bad things about people without knowing their history.  In my experience, there have been families from ICA that were willing to help youth like me, I am very grateful for their support.

Thank you to all the people who help us young people and people in these situations.”

Not sure if you can Foster, but still want to help? Find out how you can Advocate!

LEARN HOW TO ADVOCATE!

Foster Care

General Foster Care Resources

Foster Youth Rights

Foster Youth Rights Handbook

FAQs About Foster Care Reunification

Special Needs Children Resource

How to Become a Foster Family

FAQs About Domestic Foster Care

Once I get approved is there training and support?2024-03-15T14:27:23-07:00

ICA workers offer support through weekly visits the first 90 days min, we have post approval training that includes self-study, online, and ICA trainings, we can connect you with mentor ICA parents, and we can connect you with other ICA resource parents for support.  ICA works with the county to get referrals for the types of services the child(ren) needs in placement.

Can I take my placements on vacation with me?2024-03-15T14:26:27-07:00

Yes, locally, but you are required to make up birth family visits if the dates overlap on visits dates and if birth parents are okay with that. If you want to take a child out of state the county need prior approval. You can not take kids out of country.

Do I have a choice of type of placements referred to me?2024-03-15T14:25:42-07:00

We do our best to call you for children who you feel equipped to parent, however, with foster care we get little info in the beginning so we do ask our families to be flexible and open to the different opportunities that come available.

How long can a placement stay in my home?2024-03-15T14:23:40-07:00

Any time frame from 1 night to two and a half year and anything in between!

What’s the minimum age?2024-03-15T14:22:55-07:00

No minimum age for Foster Care, BUT age 21 for adoption so if you want to be open to adoption if a foster care case moves that way we recommend age 21. Also, regarding age requirements for adoption, in CA you must be 10 years older than the child you are adopting.

Can I be single and be a resource parent?2024-03-15T14:20:41-07:00

Yes!

Am I obligated to continue in the approval process once I submit an application?2024-03-15T14:20:10-07:00

No, but just be open and honest about where you are at with the process with your ICA social worker.

What types of placements are available?2024-03-15T14:13:36-07:00

Placements of children 0 to 22 NMD and it can vary from temporary to permanent to long-term. We don’t typically no how long the placement will be at the beginning so we need families open and willing to any type of length. We need families open to family reunification and placement with family members.

Foster Families Urgently Needed

Join ICA in our mission to provide vulnerable youth with the opportunity of living
in family environments, which are essential for their development and well-being.
Let us know how we can better assist you.

Join ICA in our mission to provide vulnerable youth with the opportunity of living in family environments, which are essential for their development and well-being. Let us know how we can better assist you.

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Please tell us where you currently reside. It'll assist us in offering the opportunities available in your area.


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PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, The Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME), a national accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to provide Hague Accreditation and Approval, invites the public to provide comment on intercountry adoption service providers seeking Hague Accreditation, Approval or Renewal. You are invited to provide comments through the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/about-adoption-service-providers/hague-complaint-registry.html

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, The Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME), a national accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to provide Hague Accreditation and Approval, invites the public to provide comment on intercountry adoption service providers seeking Hague Accreditation, Approval or Renewal. You are invited to provide comments through the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/about-adoption-service-providers/hague-complaint-registry.html

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