Training and Certification

If you are interested in becoming a certified foster parent, please contact us and connect with your local homefinder. Part of the certification process is the completion of 30 hours of precertification training. We offer prospective foster parents flexibility in meeting this requirement. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have.

Becoming a foster parent is a mutual selection process. Applicants and Northern Rivers staff identify strengths and needs of prospective foster parents to assess readiness to foster or adopt.

• Inquire on the website or call 844.855.CARE (2273)
• Fill out an application and participate in an orientation meeting with a trained homefinder
• Participate in a comprehensive training that focuses on skills for successful fostering
• Participate in background screenings
• Participate in the creation of a home study

The Northern Rivers Difference

As a Northern Rivers foster parent, you’re never alone. We believe that foster parents deserve the best support, including:

• A team of clinicians, case workers and support staff available 24/7/365 both on-call and in-home
• Full- and part-time fostering opportunities
• Monthly stipends for the care and support of foster children
• Full health and wellness coverage for all foster children
• Extensive online resources including discussion groups, training materials, feedback to and from program staff, and connections with other foster families
• Services delivered through a trauma-informed care model which involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of trauma on foster children
• A network of more than 200 foster homes in upstate New York with the ability to serve more than 20 counties