Foster parents temporarily take care of children who cannot live with their legal guardians for a period of time. Sometimes foster parents adopt foster children, becoming their permanent guardians; however, foster children often return home after living with the foster family for a few months or years. Ohio requires foster parents to meet the same criteria as adoptive parents before they can take in foster children, including passing a credit check or proving they have improved their situation after bankruptcy.
Post-Bankruptcy History
If an Ohio prospective foster parent has a bankruptcy in his past, the foster parent must have at least 12 months of consecutive, timely debt payments following the bankruptcy. Thus, foster parents must have filed the bankruptcy at least one year prior and improved their financial health since filing. This requirement helps ensure that foster parents will be able to take on additional expenses related to taking care of a foster child.
Credit Check
The Ohio Department of Children and Family Services runs a credit check on all prospective foster parents as part of their home study. Families must have a history of on-time debt repayment or evidence that they are resolving problems, such as letters from creditors stating that they are making payments on collections accounts. In addition, parents must have an appropriate debt-to-income ratio and proof of adequate income.
Prohibitions
Foster parents in Ohio cannot be in arrears on child support or owe over payments to the Department of Social Services such as over payments for food stamps or Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF). Foster parents must also provide a plan for long-term reliable income if they currently receive money for food stamps, TANF or other social welfare programs. These requirements stop parents who are not in compliance with social welfare program laws from serving as foster parents and ensures that parents have enough disposable income to take care of foster children.
Other Requirements
In addition to passing the credit check, Ohio foster parents must pass a criminal background check. Parents must disclose any criminal convictions, both for themselves and for any child living in the house who is between the ages of 12 and 18. In addition, applicants must pass a medical examination to prove they are physically healthy enough to take care of foster children.
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