New Alternatives, Inc. - Foster Family Agency

Become a Foster Parent!

Our Parents:

  • enjoy the challenges and rewards that come from helping youth develop self-esteem and a healthy perspective on life
  • offer commitment, patience and compassion to the youth in our community
  • they share their hearts, their homes and their family experience
  • have open minds, persistence and are vital members of the treatment team
  • receive comprehensive training, 24 hour assistance, therapeutic services, guidance and financial compensation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Youth:

  • desire a loving home in which they can develop into happy, healthy and self-confident individuals with goals and dreams for their future
  • have led traumatic, chaotic lives and have rarely experienced stability
  • struggle with a wide range of emotional and/or behavioral challenges that are a direct result of abuse, neglect and abandonment
  • need acceptance, guidance, nurturing and a stable environment that will encourage their healing and growth

Learn about our Specialized Foster Parent Training Classes

Click Here!

 

Foster Parent Certification Requirements

  1. Must be willing to provide structure and support meeting individual needs of each child.
  2. Stable home environment: loving, nurturing family, safe neighborhood
  3. Financially secure
  4. Over 21, compassionate, flexible, consistent, mature able to communicate either verbally or in writing
  5. Willing to comply with State Regulations: medications and weapons locked up, New Alternatives Policies and San Diego County regulations
  6. All adults/caretakers must attend pre-certification training
  7. All adults living in the home must have a current physical and TB test
  8. Everyone over 18 in the home must be fingerprinted and must clear through Community Care Licensing and the Department of Justice
  9. Be willing to acknowledge and abide by client's personal rights, including the right to freedom of religious beliefs. NO CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ALLOWED
  10. Have a car with a valid drivers license, automobile insurance and responsible for transporting foster children to/from appointments
  11. Working telephone in the home
  12. Adequate living space to accommodate one or two clients. Children can only share a room with children.
  13. Primary caretaker will need to attend 20 hours per year in-service/support training and secondary caretaker will need 12 hours per year
  14. Adult supervision of all clients required
  15. Must be willing to support program criteria/policy
  16. State, County and New Alternatives are allowed to inspect home unannounced
  17. Current First Aid/CPR certification required. Water Safety Certification required in some circumstances and highly recommended
  18. Must be available for weekly home visits with the New Alternatives Social Worker of your foster children
  19. Must be willing to provide structure and support meeting individual needs of each child
  20. A clean and orderly home
  21. Comply with quarterly evaluations and record keeping
  22. Have a 3 day disaster plan and a posted emergency plan