Background:

Exemptions from Foster Licensure.

Any person, group, or facility that receives children for control, care, or maintenance outside their own homes or that places, arranges the placement of, or assists in the placement of children must have a license provided by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).

The following individuals or entities are exempt from the licensing requirement:

certain relatives;
adoptive parents and guardians;
situations where parents agree to out-of-home placement and the placement is not receiving state payment for the placement;
exchange students;
children entering the country with visas meeting the criteria for medical care;
certain schools;
certain hospitals;
licensed physicians or lawyers;
certain training centers for individuals with developmental disabilities;
certain agencies in operation prior to 1957 not receiving governmental assistance;
certain persons approved for placement by a court;
certain agencies operated by governmental entities or Indian tribes;
certain security programs for juvenile offenders;
agencies located on a federal military reservation; and
host home programs and host homes.

Host Home Programs.

To qualify for exemption from licensure, host home programs must:

recruit and screen potential homes in the program, including performing background checks on the individuals living in the home who are over age 18;
screen and provide case management to youth in the program;
obtain a notarized permission slip or limited power of attorney from the parent or legal guardian of the youth authorizing the youth to participate in the program;
obtain insurance;
provide mandatory reporter and confidentiality training; and
register as a nonprofit organization with the Secretary of State's Office.

A host home is defined as a private home that volunteers to host youth in need of temporary placement that is associated with a host home program.

Any host home program that receives government funding must report certain information to the Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection Programs. To qualify for exemption from foster licensure, a host home program is prohibited from receiving more than $100,000 per year in public funding and an individual host home may not receive any government funding.

Foster Licensure Requirements.

In addition to applying for a foster license through the DCYF, an individual may apply for a foster license through a Child Placing Agency (CPA) that has been licensed by the DCYF to supervise foster homes. These CPAs may certify to the DCYF that an individual meets the licensing requirements. The DCYF has the final approval for licensing an individual who is certified by a CPA.

To be considered for a foster care license, an applicant must:

be at least 21 years of age;
have sufficient income to support themselves without relying on foster care payment;
discipline children in a positive manner without the use of physical punishment;
provide supervision appropriate to the age or specific behavior of the child as outlined
by the social worker; and
complete first aid/CPR training, blood-borne pathogens training, licensing orientation, and preservice training.

Any adult living in a potential foster home must:

complete a criminal background check with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Washington State Patrol (WSP);
complete a child abuse and neglect registry check from each state they lived in over the past five years; and
submit tuberculosis tests dated within the last year.

Youth ages 16 to 18 years old in the household must complete a WSP check. A DCYF licensor will also assess an applicant's ability to provide a safe home and to provide the quality of care needed by children placed in the home.

All licensed family foster homes are required to complete the following ongoing training:

36 hours during their first three-year licensing period;
30 hours during their second three-year licensing period; and
24 hours during all subsequent three-year licensing periods.