Exploring the Texas Foster Care System and How It Works

Did you know that there are more than 30,000 children in the Texas foster care system with more than 1,000 kids aging out of foster care each year? It’s an overwhelming number to consider how many children are in need of loving and safe homes, whether temporarily until reunification or permanently through adoption. But you can make a huge difference by saying ‘yes’ and answering the call to serve these children, and Therapeutic Family Life (TFL) is here to help you navigate the journey. 

The foster care system in Texas is in place for instances when vulnerable children are removed from unsafe living situations and need to be placed with loving and supportive families until the court system can determine if the biological parents are able to be safe caretakers, or if there is a biological family that can be a suitable option to care for the child instead. The court may also determine that parental rights should be terminated and the child is then free for adoption. As a foster family, you can serve as a safe haven for a child to receive love and care in a stable home environment while the child’s future remains unknown. 

What is the Texas Foster Care System?

When a child is no longer safe at home, and there is no suitable non-custodial parent, family member, or close family friend who is willing and able to care for the child, then Child Protective Services (CPS) can be granted temporary legal possession where they will then place the child with a temporary foster family. These situations can sometimes last weeks, months, or even years.

They can even become permanent living situations if parental rights end up being revoked and the child is placed for adoption. However, a family can also choose to only foster and not be an adoptive home, and a foster family should always support any and all reunification efforts as long as they are safe and in the child’s best interest. 

For families who want to provide loving homes for foster children, but only on a short-term or temporary basis, they can choose to become respite homes, where long-term or permanent foster families can use them when they need a break or extra help. Foster families can also choose to be for emergency placements only, where a child may need an immediate home while CPS continues to search for family, kinship, or long-term foster care options. 

How the Foster Care System Works in Texas

The first step in the foster care system in Texas is when an initial report of suspected maltreatment is made. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) will then investigate the claim. If it is found to be legitimate, the case will be turned over to CPS to find a safe home for the child to be placed in while legal proceedings take place. 

CPS will first try to find a relative or close friend who can take the child, but if that is not a safe or suitable option, CPS will place the child with a licensed foster family. 

There will then be court proceedings to determine what the parents must do in order to regain custody of their child or to determine if the parental rights should be terminated. Though a child may be living with a foster family, the guardianship will remain under CPS during this time and therefore CPS can determine whether or not the child stays with the foster family they are placed with or move the child if they find a biological family member or other more suitable option during the case. 

Steps to Become a Foster Parent in Texas

While the need for foster parents in Texas is abundant, it is still quite a process to become a licensed foster family. This is because, as a foster home, you will be responsible for caring for vulnerable children who have suffered some degree of trauma, and therefore it is important foster families are vetted to be safe and able to take adequate care of these children in need. 

Texas’s foster care system requires foster parents to be at least 21 years old, pass a background check, and have stable finances, housing, and transportation. In order to become licensed, you will have to submit an application, complete a home study, and receive free training to be licensed through a private Child Placing Agency (CPA). 

TFL can help provide support and guidance as you go through the certification and training process. It can seem overwhelming at first, but with TFL you are not alone and can adequately step into the calling to foster that the Lord has placed on your life. 

Key Challenges in the Texas Foster Care System

There are many challenges within the Texas foster care system, but you shouldn’t let them discourage you from becoming a foster parent. Instead, if you educate yourself on the challenges, you can be better prepared for what you’re signing up for. 

Overcrowding is one of the biggest challenges in the system, especially in cases of teens and more severely disabled children. Because of this, there are many times not enough foster homes for the children in need. This puts already vulnerable and traumatized children in situations where they are further traumatized. There are also a lot of emotional and psychological needs of the children who come into care.

You may have a child who hoards food, can’t communicate, and regresses in their capabilities for their age (like a potty-trained child who suddenly starts bedwetting, for example). Your foster child may have emotional tantrums that can’t be calmed, they may harm themselves or others, and they may act out in anger. Things can trigger a child in your care that you may not have expected, like certain holidays or being around strangers. It’s essential to note some things that seem to “set your child off” so you can prepare for them in the future. 

There are also limited resources because there are so many children in care. Your foster child may or may not have a CASA child advocate in court, or they may not be able to receive the therapeutic services they need promptly because of capacity limitations. There are also only certain doctors and dentists who will see children with the insurance that children in foster care receive, so you may not be able to take them to the same medical providers that the rest of your family sees. 

But, with all these challenges, it further highlights the great need for dedicated foster families. If you can provide a stable and loving home to a child in need, you can start to help heal some of their traumas and hurts and give them space to grow and feel safe. As a committed foster parent, you can proactively seek the care and services your foster child requires and advocate for their unique needs. You can change the life of a foster child, whether they are in your care for a short while or permanently. 

Postplacement Support and Resources

After a foster child is placed in your care, there are a lot of things you will need to do, like taking them to the doctor for initial exams, finding out what the parent visiting schedule will look like, and where parent visits will take place, and meeting with the CPS caseworker, CPA caseworker, and CASA or guardian ad litem (attorney for the child). Having support during this transitional time is crucial as you adjust to caring for a new child in your home while also fulfilling necessary legal requirements. 

As a foster family, you will be able to receive ongoing training after a child’s placement. Your foster child will also be given free medical and dental insurance so they can receive the care they may need. Depending on their age and any developmental delays, they will qualify for various therapies and services. 

Furthermore, when you work with TFL, you will be supported as you go through the process of becoming a licensed foster home and supported postplacement, so you can feel equipped to handle all the needs. TFL is committed to offering resources and ongoing support for all of its families, which is crucial when navigating the Texas foster care system.

Conclusion

Though arguably flawed in some regards, the Texas foster care system is highly important as it helps to get children out of potentially dangerous and even life-threatening living situations, and placed with safe and stable families. Unfortunately, there are more children in need of foster families in Texas than there are available homes, which is why there is a great need for supportive and informed foster families. 

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16). The Lord commands us to love and help children, and one of the best ways you can fulfill this commandment is by becoming a foster family. 

While the process can be overwhelming and time-consuming, you’re not alone. Reach out to Therapeutic Family Life for the guidance and support you need when you’re ready to become part of the foster care community. 

FAQ

How Does The Foster Care System Work In Texas?

The Texas foster care system is in place for instances when children are removed from their biological parents and there is no family or kinship placement available. CPS can place the child with a licensed foster family that will provide stability and care for the child while the case is further investigated and goes through the legal process. 

What Are The Qualifications To Become A Foster Parent In Texas?

The Texas foster care system requires foster parents be at least 21 years old, pass a background check, and have stable finances, housing, and transportation. Foster parents also have to submit an application, complete a home study, and receive free training to be licensed through a private Child Placing Agency (CPA). Therapeutic Family Life can help you navigate everything you need to get licensed, and continue giving you support post-placement of a child.