Foster Care Information – Get information about becoming a foster parent from the state Department of Children’s Services (DCS) website:
Client Rights Handbook – This booklet spells out how the DCS process works in Tennessee. It describes what happens when DCS gets called, what it will seek to do and how they work to keep a child’s best interests at heart. Download in English or Spanish.
Journey to Excellence: The Foster Parent Handbook – A valuable reference tool to make day-to-day parenting less stressful and more directed. An updated Foster Parent Handbook will be available as of January 2017.
The Book of Me: A Child’s Life Story Book – Life story books help children who are in DCS custody better understand the separation from their parents. It helps them gain a sense of “Who am I, and how did I get here?” It also gives them hope for their future. The book is meant to preserve and document their history while in foster care, and help them deal with feelings they might have during this time.
Life Story Outline – Your foster child can use this outline to write or record information regarding their life.
Helpful Websites
• The National Foster Parent Association
Tennessee Heart Gallery
• Parent a Child
• AdoptUSKids