how to become a foster parent in michigan

Foster care services in Michigan

What are the Next Steps?

Become a Foster Parent

Holy Cross Services helps thousands of children find foster homes every year. We are committed to providing safe homes where children are cared for and can get a healthy start in life.

We support our foster parents with both initial and ongoing training to help them succeed. We ensure foster parents meet state licensing requirements, while providing the resources they need to be healthy influences to some of Michigan's most vulnerable children.

Foster Care with Holy Cross Services

At Holy Cross, the primary goal of foster care is to provide a stable, nurturing home to children when they are unable to remain in the home with their biological family.

The foster home is a place where the child receives services to reach a safe, healthy and supportive plan for a permanent living situation.

What is a Foster Parent?

Types of Foster Care

General
A child is placed with an already licensed family that was previously unknown to him/her.

Independent Living Plus, Host Home Providers.
Host Homeproviders open up their homes to older teens, ages 16-19 who have an open foster care case. Host Home Providers are not licensed foster homes. Youth in this program are in need of mastering daily living skills in order for them to live independently. The Host Home Provider
provides supervision, works with the Foster Care Worker and Life Skill Coach in mentoring the youth.

Relative
A child is placed with a relative to his/her biological family that becomes licensed after placement.

Can I Be a Foster Parent?

Foster parents must be:

18 or more years old
Residing in the U.S. legally
Have a desire to open their home and heart to children who have experienced trauma
Have the ability to empathize with children and adults
With flexibility to manage changing schedules
Willing to work with child welfare agencies and follow Licensing Rules for foster family homes
With a history free from felony, criminal sexual conduct, and/or Child Protective Service substantiated abuse

They do not have to:

Be married
Own their own home
Meet a certain income or education level
Be experienced in providing foster care

Holy Cross Services does not discriminate against any individual or group because of race, sex, religion, age, national origin, color, height, weight, marital status or gender identity.

Living in an unhealthy family environment, Robert was brave enough to call social services on his own and removed himself from his home.

Learn how Holy Cross Services helped him.

Click To Read Robert's Story

Who are the Foster Children?

How Does a Child Enter into Foster Care?

Holy Cross Foster Care

Deacon Kevin Endres, from Baraga Radio, a Northern Michigan Catholic radio station, interviewed Andrea Hagen about Foster Care, during his show "The Cross Walk".

Have More Questions? Send us a Note…

For more answers to questions like…

What are the steps to become a licensed foster home?
Are all children in foster care delinquents with major behavioral problems?
If I become a foster parent, will I have any control over who the state puts in my home?
How do I become licensed?

Gaylord/Northern Region
213 E. Main St.
Gaylord, MI 49735
Office Number:
(989) 270-0293
Foster Care and Independent Living Referrals:
(989) 577-5812

Muskegon/Western Region
3597 Henry St.
Norton Shores, MI 49441
Office Number:
(231) 769-2400
Foster Care and Independent Living Referrals:
(231) 220-9180

Saginaw/Mid-Michigan Region
Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care & Independent Living
Independent Living Referrals:
(989) 239-1017

HOW CAN YOU HELP BRING
HOPE FOR MICHIGAN FAMILIES?

Foster care Michigan