Lutheran Services Florida
If you would like to make a difference in the life of a child, please call 1 (855) 933-KIDS (5437) and request to become a foster parent through LSF. View more information in our FAQ below.
Foster services
LEE COUNTY
LEE COUNTY
The LSF Child Welfare Case Management program is funded by the Florida Department of Children and Families through the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida in Lee county.
If you would like to make a difference in the life of a child, please call 1 (855) 933-KIDS (5437) and request to become a foster parent through LSF. View more information in our FAQ below.
All of the children in the child welfare system have suffered from trauma-some form of abuse, neglect or abandonment by a parent. Approximately half of these children remain in their homes under our careful supervision and the other half were unable to safely remain in their homes and were removed (by the Department of Children and Families) and placed with either relatives, family friends or in foster homes. In South West Florida, including Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties, there are approximately 500 children living in licensed foster homes.
Children in foster care range from newborn to age eighteen. They have all suffered through traumatic loss. These children live in your communities and come from diverse backgrounds. Whenever possible, we attempt to place them to live with their own relatives or family friends; when that is not possible, the children are placed with a foster family.
Foster families provide abused children a temporary, safe place to live until they can be reunited with their birth families or, when that is not possible, and the courts have terminated their parent’s rights, until an adoptive family is identified. The goal is for all children to have a permanent home within one year of coming into the child welfare system (varies according to each case).
The love, attention and support foster families provide serve as a foundation for a secure and successful life for thousands of children in Florida, at a time when they need it most.
Becoming a foster parent is one of the most rewarding experiences for a family. Caring for children who have been abused and being a role model for the biological parents who are working to be reunified with their children is the ultimate public trust. Becoming a foster parent is a mutual selection process by which the family and LSF are working together to assess the strengths and needs of the family to determine if the foster parent program is a suitable match for both of us. The primary steps to becoming a foster parent are as follows:
Call 1 (855) 933-KIDS (5437) and request to become a foster parent through LSF
If you are ready for the commitment, then you must complete a 30 Hour Pre-Service Parenting Program (once a week, 3 hours) called PRIDE
All household members must pass an extensive criminal background screening
The home must pass an environmental health inspection
The home must be safe and have adequate space for additional children to reside
The family must be financially stable and capable of providing for additional children
The family must have reliable and safe transportation
References provided must include: personal, professional, neighbor, family and school (for families with children living in the home)
A licensing counselor you will complete and in-depth assessment of the family called a “home study”
The process from the time of the inquiry until a family receives a license is different depending on the circumstances but averages 3-5 months. If you are interested in learning more about the process, please fill out the contact form and an LSF representative will contact you with more information.
Foster families are people who enjoy parenting and who are willing to share their homes, time, energy, and love with children who have special needs because of abuse or neglect. In Florida, you may be eligible for foster parenting if you:
When a judge decides that a child has been a victim of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or death in a family, the courts decide that child must be temporarily separated from their families. If there is no willing relative, these children must then be placed in a foster home.
A child’s stay in foster care may be as short as overnight or as long as it takes to achieve a permanent plan for the child. The first and primary goal is always to reunite the family, when it is safe to do so. There are laws have dictated that a child’s stay in foster care be no longer than one year, unless there are extenuating circumstances determined by the courts.
Yes. Working families can be licensed as foster parents. Each child’s needs must be evaluated individually. Some children will require a full-time stay-at-home parent. Usually these are children who have therapeutic or medical challenges.
Yes. Foster families receive a stipend to help with the expenses while a child is in their home. The amount of the monthly board payment is determined by the age of the child. If a child is in a specialized foster home for medical or therapeutic needs, the compensation is higher, as their needs are greater. Children have medical, dental, and vision coverage while in foster care through Medicaid. Foster parents are also eligible for mileage reimbursement when transporting children to medical appointments and foster care activities.
Foster families can expect many rewards:
If you would like to make a difference in the life of a child, please call 1 (855) 933-KIDS (5437) and request to become a foster parent through LSF
Fill out the information below and an LSF representative will be in touch with you with more information.
Pinellas County
727-461-2990
Lee County
239-461-7640
Pinellas County
727-461-2990
