Types of Foster Care

Traditional Foster Care 

Traditional foster care provides children with a safe, stable home when they cannot remain with their birth families. It is designed to be temporary while parents work through challenges. If reunification is not possible, foster families may help children transition to adoption or another permanent plan. 

Foster parents provide:

  • Day-to-day care: meals, routines, school, and doctor visits
  • Emotional support and stability during a difficult time
  • Advocacy for children’s health, education, and well-being
  • Collaboration with DCS and the child’s birth family 

Why foster?

Tennessee has more than 7,000 children in care and only about 4,000 foster families. DCS supports foster parents with training, stipends, respite care, and local associations. Many foster families also adopt children who cannot return home. By fostering, you give a child safety and stability when they need it most. 

Ready to take the next step?
 

Start your inquiry today.

 

Kinship Foster Care 

Kinship foster care places children with relatives or close family friends. Whenever possible, DCS seeks kinship placements to reduce trauma and keep children connected to family, culture, and community. 

What makes it different?

  • Children live with someone they already know and trust
  • Placements may allow them to stay in their school or with siblings
  • Families preserve cultural and community ties 

DCS supports kinship caregivers with:

  • Expedited placement so children can be with family quickly
  • Training focused on trauma, family dynamics, and self-care
  • Dedicated staff (Kinship Coordinators) to guide the process
  • Peer groups and financial support including stipends, respite care, and counseling 

Kinship care helps children feel secure and maintain bonds while families receive the support needed to succeed. 

 

Therapeutic Foster Care 

Therapeutic foster care serves children with higher emotional, behavioral, or medical needs. Instead of living in a group home or facility, children receive treatment and support in a family setting. 

What’s unique about therapeutic care?

  • Fewer children in the home, often just one child or sibling group
  • Specialized training in trauma care, crisis management, and therapeutic parenting
  • 24/7 on-call support, frequent caseworker visits, respite care, and higher stipends
  • Close teamwork with therapists, doctors, and DCS staff 

The goal: help children stabilize, heal, and move toward permanency—whether through reunification, adoption, or guardianship—while giving them as normal a family life as possible.

 

Are you a Foster Parent in Need of Time Off? 

Respite care provides you with a temporary break, whether it is to address an unexpected emergency, care for a family member or take a quick trip. Respite also is necessary for reducing caregiver stress and promoting the stability of child placements.

As a DCS foster parent, you are eligible for two monthly paid days off while an approved and safe person cares for your foster children.

How It Works

  • Tell your Foster Parent Support worker of any respite plans for a custodial child ten (10) business days prior to placement need if requiring assistance in locating a respite home. You may give your worker notice via email or by telephone, and when possible, prior to the respite occurring.
  • A custodial child’s overnight stay with friends or foster parent relatives is made at the discretion of the foster parent and with reliance upon the prudent parenting protocol. 
  • If you arrange for respite care yourself, you are responsible for paying the caregiver.
  • Any respite requests that exceed the built-in allowance will be considered supplemental respite days and will require pre-authorization from the Regional Administrator. Supplemental respite could include family death/medical emergency, or expedited foster home emergency. These instances must be discussed with the FPS team for regional approval.

If You Foster through a Contract Agency

  • Contracted foster families, who have received respite through agencies, must adhere to the respite payment process outlined by their agency.
  • Contract agencies may set the rules, rates, and limitations for respite; however, they too must receive permission for any respite that extends beyond 14 days.

Learn More

Feel free to review the state respite guidelines at protocol for Respite Care and other Events , or call your Foster Parent Support worker.