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Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions we receive from our prospective parents:

Is Angels a County-run foster care agency?
No. Angels is a licensed, private foster family agency, operating independently, but in cooperation with Santa Barbara County Social Services.

How is Angels different from County Foster Care?

Angels parents:

Are permitted to foster only one child (or sibling group) at a time. County foster parents are allowed up to 6 foster children (not including their own children).
Must provide a stay-at-home parent (or similar child care arrangement). The county permits both foster parents to work outside the home, and the children are cared for in daycare or preschools.
Are thoroughly screened and trained before receiving their foster child. County foster care does not offer in-depth training specifically regarding infants and toddlers.
Agree to care for one child until a permanent placement can be made, and are carefully matched to the child to ensure that the first foster placement is the best and only placement. County care provides for 30-day placements and most children experience a minimum of 3 placements before their first birthday.
Receive regular visits and support from their assigned Angels social workers, who also attend parent visitations and all court dates. County social workers, by contrast, are burdened with heavy caseloads, which often prevent the worker from making frequent, regular visits.
Consider it a privilege to parent a child and do so as a philanthropic contribution to society.

Where do Angels babies come from?
Angels receives its referrals from Santa Barbara County welfare services.

What makes Angels parents so special?
Angels parents are compassionate and conscientious individuals with a deep love of children, a track record of positive parenting, and the financial ability to provide for an additional child. In addition, Angels parents view fostering as an opportunity to contribute to society by making a difference in the life of one child.

How is Angels funded?
Angels is 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization funded solely through private donations from individuals and philanthropic foundations. The agency does not solicit or receive government funding. All funding received is used to recruit, train, and support Angels families and their foster children. The Angels Board of Directors are volunteers and receive no monetary compensation. Learn how you can help by donating.

What are the requirements for becoming an Angels parent?
Basic requirements include:

Fingerprint and child abuse index clearance
Physical exam and T.B. test
DMV printout, current auto insurance and driver's license
Successful completion of an approved training program
Initial home inspection and preliminary interview
Completion of MMPI-2 psychological screening. Please contact us for more details

I thought only older children needed foster homes. Is this true?
One in four foster children enters the system before his or her first birthday. Newborns make up the largest percentage of these infants.

I have heard that court-dependent babies have medical issues. How often is this true?
Typically, the medical issues Angels babies face reflect neglect, abandonment, malnutrition, physical abuse, or in-utero drug exposure. Stimulating and nurturing families are the one very important remedy for these maladies.

Does the County provide medical coverage?
In addition to the monthly stipend you will receive, every child receives Medi-Cal coverage.

Will I receive any compensation for taking in an Angels baby?
Angels does not pay its parents to care for babies, and prospective parents should view their involvement as a philanthropic contribution to a healthier generation. However, families will receive the standard stipend of about $400/month from the County to cover expenses such as formula, diapers, clothing, and other necessities. Families may also receive assistance for additional food costs through the Women Infants Children (WIC) program. All medical and legal expenses are covered directly by the state.

Do Angels babies visit with their birth parents? Where are the visits held?
All babies placed have court-ordered reunification plans. Angels parents are responsible for seeing that the children visit with their parents as ordered by the court. Typically, visits are set for one hour either once or twice per week. Visits are never held at the home of the foster parents and foster parent addresses are confidential and never provided to birth family members. The visits are supervised and are held at a county visitation facility.

What is involved in your training program?
The training program is the Child Welfare League of America's PRIDE course, the standard in foster training. Classes are conducted by licensed social workers and expert speakers on medical, developmental, and psychological issues—including caring for drug-exposed babies, understanding the signs of appropriate and inappropriate attachment, and intervention strategies. Twenty-four hours of training are conducted over an 8-week period, held one night per week. Class sizes are small, which allow for interactive communication and learning. All training is conducted at community buildings. The location for each training session will be announced to participating families.

How long might we parent this child?
Each case is different. The court offers reunification services to all birth parents. However, these parents must comply with the court's orders to regain custody; so the length of placement varies. At Angels, we ask that our foster families commit to keeping the child until a decision is made about the child's final placement. At that time, the child will either be reunited with his/her birth family or put up for adoption. If the option to adopt arises, and your family is interested, Angels will support you through the process. The babies placed with Angels families typically remain a ward of the court for 6-12 months.

Can Angels families ever adopt their Angels baby?
Yes. When reunification efforts with birth families are unsuccessful, Angels babies become eligible for adoption, and many Angels families choose to adopt their baby. To date, 35% of Angels babies have successfully rejoined their birth parents or extended families Learn more about adoption.

How much help will our family get after a child is placed in our home?
Angels is here to support you every step of the way, by answering your questions or guiding you to the proper resources for help. Our social workers are always available to offer support on a daily or emergency basis and "seasoned Angels parents" often mentor new families. Support group meetings are offered throughout the year and Friends of the agency make generous donations of many baby products. .

May I read comments from other Angels parents about their fostering experience?
Yes, please see our Testimonials page.

Can I help, even if I don't have the time or resources to be a foster parent?
Yes. Your tax-deductible contribution to Angels will help us continue to place needy babies in loving homes. Angels is entirely financed by donations, so our work depends on your help. Learn more about donating.

Where can I find more information?
You can find more information about foster programs, charitable foundations, and child services on our Resources page.

Call Now to Change a Child's Life
Call 805-884-0012 (effective 9/1/10) or contact us on-line to learn how you can make a donation or become a foster parent.