About the Program
Plummer seeks foster parents to provide a safe, stable, and caring home for children in need. Specialized training and ongoing professional support are provided for foster families.
You don’t need to be perfect. Or rich. Or own your own home. What you do need to become a foster parent is a big heart, patience and a desire to make a difference in the life of a child.
Children who need foster care range in age from birth to 22. What they have in common is they all have experienced some sort of trauma. They need a loving home to feel safe while remaining connected to their family, school, and community.
“ Kids need families to grow up. That’s just what they need.”
– Joe, Plummer Foster Youth
Eligibility
We welcome individuals and families of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, socio-economic backgrounds, and religions the opportunity to get involved as foster parents.
As an intensive foster care program (IFC), we serve children who require a higher level of care. Therefore, we provide more support to our families.
Become a Foster Parent
Plummer constantly works to recruit foster families so that every child can have the loving care they deserve. We provide training, 24/7 assistance and financial support ($66.36 per day).
Learn about the steps to becoming a foster parent
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be a Plummer foster parent?
- Foster parents can be married, single, or living together
- Foster parents can be any race, gender, or sexual orientation
- Foster parents must be at least 25 years old
- Families may either rent or own their home/apartment
- One adult in the home needs to be able to communicate in English
- Foster families will need to participate in background checks & finger printing
- One foster parent must have a valid driver’s license and access to transportation
- If the foster parent is a single parent, he or she must work or have some financial income. For couples, only one parent must work or have income coming into the household
- The foster home must be clean, safe, free of fire and other hazards and meet state regulatory standards (including working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors). It must also be sufficient in size to accommodate comfortably all members of the household and the approved number of foster/pre-adoptive children
Who are the children in Plummer Foster Care?
- They are referred to Plummer Foster Care by The Department of Children and Families (DCF)
- They range in age from birth-22
- All children/youth in foster care have experienced some level of trauma
- They come from variety of cultural and racial backgrounds
- They are kids who just need a nurturing loving family to provide them stability and a family setting
What type of support does Plummer Foster Care provide to foster families?
- A Plummer Foster Care worker is assigned to support each child and family
- 24/7 access to a Plummer Foster Care worker for emergencies and urgent questions
- Training before you become a foster parent and while you are fostering
- Respite care with another trained foster family – somewhere your foster child can go for a few days if needed, such as if you have to travel or you simply need a break
- Reimbursement for room & board, mileage and certain other pre-approved expenses
- Foster children are eligible for Medicaid (Mass Health) that covers all medical, mental, and dental health needs. Foster parents are not responsible for a child’s medical expenses
What is the process for becoming a foster parent?
- The first step is to call our Family Resource Worker, Linear Dowd at 978-935-2801
- The Family Resource Worker will describe our programs, the process, and answer questions
- An application packet will be brought to your initial meeting with the Family Resource Worker or mailed or emailed to you at your request
- Background checks will be conducted on all household members 15 years and older; medical, personal, and employer references are required
- Plummer Foster Care invites the family to attend pre-service training called the Massachusetts Approach to Partnership in Parenting, or MAPP. It is required that both foster parents attend 30 hours of this training
- A home study starts after MAPP is completed
- Experienced Plummer foster parents are available to answer questions and provide support throughout the process
- The process by which children are matched with the foster family begins
What does the home study/foster home assessment consist of?
- The Family Resource Worker will meet with you and your family in your home to discuss personal history, family, and home life.
- Families sometimes get anxious about this part of the process. However, it is important to know that Plummer social workers are not looking for a “perfect” home or family. We want to get to know you so that we can best match a child with you and your family
- Plummer social workers work together with foster families to decide what kind of child would be the most suitable match for your family. For example, would a teenager or a younger child work the best with your family dynamics, schedule, etc.?
- All licensing requirements must be met before a foster parent license is issued. Because of the time necessary to meet all of the requirements, including various inspections and the necessary training, it typically takes sixty (60) days or more to become a licensed foster care provider
- A Plummer staff person or experienced foster parent is with you every step of the way!
