To become a foster parent in West Virginia, you need to be at least 21 years old, a legal resident of the state, pass state and federal background checks, complete the state’s PRIDE preservice training, and clear a home study conducted by the Bureau for Social Services or a licensed private agency. The full process usually takes about 90 days from application to approval. Once licensed, you receive a monthly board rate of up to $600 per child, Medicaid coverage for the child, and ongoing support from an assigned caseworker.
Who Qualifies
The baseline requirements are straightforward. You must be 21 or older and a West Virginia resident. You need to show enough income to support your own household without counting on the foster care stipend, and you must provide medical clearance from a licensed physician confirming you are physically and mentally able to care for a child. Marriage is not required, and there is no requirement that you own your home.
Every adult who lives in the home has to clear the background check process, not only the person whose name goes on the application. That includes adult children, roommates, and any relative sharing the residence.
Background Checks and Training
West Virginia Code § 49-2-114 requires fingerprinting for the State Police and, when needed, an FBI federal criminal history check. The investigation also pulls the child abuse and neglect registry, medical records, personal references, and a review of your financial situation.1West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 49-2-114 Certain offenses, particularly violent crimes and offenses against children, are automatic disqualifiers.
Before approval, you must complete PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education) preservice training. The curriculum runs nine content sessions plus an orientation and covers trauma-informed care, attachment and loss, discipline, and the legal framework protecting biological parents’ rights.2West Virginia Foster Care. Training Options At least 50 rounds are offered across the state each year.
Training does not end when you get licensed. After your first year, you must complete a minimum of 12 hours of ongoing training annually, plus keep current on first aid and CPR certification.3Child Welfare Information Gateway. Home Study Requirements for Prospective Foster Parents – West Virginia
Home Safety Standards
Your home has to pass a physical safety inspection before the state will approve your application. Each child needs a designated bed with adequate bedroom space. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms must be functional. Medications and firearms must be stored securely. A bedroom in a basement or attic has to meet the same standards as any other bedroom in the house.
The Home Study and Timeline
The process begins when you submit an application, either directly to the Bureau for Social Services or through a licensed private child-placing agency. A home-finding specialist is then assigned to conduct the home study. Expect a series of in-depth interviews about your motivations, parenting philosophy, personal history, and family dynamics, plus a physical walk-through of the residence. The specialist has 90 days to complete the home study.4West Virginia Department of Human Services. WV DoHS Home Finding – Home Study Process
Once the home study is finished, it is combined with your background check results and training certificates for departmental review. You will receive written notification that you have been approved, deferred pending additional steps, or denied.5Bureau for Social Services. Foster Homes (In-State and Out-of-State) If denied, you can request a review of the decision. From initial inquiry to approval, most applicants finish in three to four months.
Which Track You’ll Be On
West Virginia offers three tracks. Traditional foster care places a child with a licensed caregiver the child does not previously know. Kinship care places a child with a relative or someone the child already has a close relationship with, such as a family friend or longtime neighbor. State law requires the Department to give first consideration to relatives and fictive kin and to actively search for suitable relatives within the first days after a child is removed from home.6West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 49-4-601A – Preference of Child Placement
Therapeutic or specialized foster care serves children with significant behavioral, emotional, or medical needs. Caregivers on this track receive additional training and work closely with clinical professionals, and the daily reimbursement rates are higher to reflect the intensity of care.
If You’re a Relative Stepping Forward
The kinship track moves faster than traditional foster care. The child’s caseworker completes an initial safety assessment of the relative’s home before placement, and a home-finding specialist visits within five calendar days afterward to run a safety screen, schedule fingerprinting, and begin certification. Full certification should be completed within 45 days.3Child Welfare Information Gateway. Home Study Requirements for Prospective Foster Parents – West Virginia
Kinship caregivers are not required to complete PRIDE training to be certified, though they can attend voluntarily. They still must pass background checks and a home safety assessment and provide two non-relative references. Importantly, the child can be placed provisionally while these steps are being finished, which is a significant departure from the traditional track where placement only happens after full approval.
What You’ll Be Paid and Covered For
Foster parents receive a monthly maintenance payment, commonly called the board rate, to cover the child’s basic needs: food, clothing, personal care items, and school supplies. The maximum monthly rate is $600 regardless of the child’s age. Therapeutic placements pay higher daily rates. The stipend is meant to offset the cost of caring for the child rather than to serve as household income.
Children in foster care receive a Medicaid card that covers medical check-ups, dental, vision, mental health therapy, and prescription medications with no out-of-pocket cost to you.7West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual – Specific Medicaid Requirements 16.5 Foster children under age five are automatically eligible for WIC.
West Virginia offers a school clothing allowance on top of the board rate. For the 2025 program year, each eligible child receives $200 specifically for school clothing, delivered by check rather than through the electronic benefit system.8West Virginia Department of Human Services. West Virginia Department of Human Services Accepting School Clothing Allowance Applications Applications are due by mid-summer, so put the deadline on your calendar.
You can also seek reimbursement for mileage when transporting the child to medical appointments, therapy, and family visits. As of late 2025, the Department implemented stricter verification requirements, so plan on submitting detailed logs with start and end locations and total miles.
Your Role Once a Child Is Placed
Each placement comes with an assigned caseworker who handles ongoing case management, coordinates with biological parents and the courts, and conducts regular home visits. That is your primary point of contact when problems come up or when you need help accessing services.
You also have rights in court. West Virginia law gives foster parents, preadoptive parents, and relative caregivers the right to receive notice of and be heard at any permanency hearing for the child in their care.9West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 49-4-608 – Permanency Hearing That right does not make you a legal party to the case, so you cannot file motions, call witnesses, or appeal a ruling the way biological parents or the Department can.10Child Welfare Information Gateway. Court Hearings for the Permanent Placement of Children – West Virginia Being heard still matters. You see the child every day; the judge does not.
The court must hold a permanency hearing within 12 months of the Department taking physical custody, and every 12 months after that until the case reaches a permanent outcome.9West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 49-4-608 – Permanency Hearing Reunification with the biological family is the preferred outcome when it can be achieved safely. When it cannot, the court can move toward adoption, legal guardianship, or permanent placement with a fit relative.
If Fostering Leads to Adoption
Adoption from foster care becomes possible after parental rights have been terminated, voluntarily or by court order. There is a two-month window after termination during which any involved party can appeal, and once that closes the child must be referred to the Adoption Resource Network within 30 days.11West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. West Virginia Adoption Policy Foster parents who have cared for a child for 18 months or longer can pursue adoption if the Adoption Placement Review Committee agrees the placement is in the child’s best interest. If the child is 12 or older, the child’s own consent, given in the presence of a judge, is required.
Families who adopt a child with special needs from foster care may qualify for an ongoing adoption subsidy under West Virginia Code § 49-4-112. Eligibility can be based on a physical or mental disability, emotional disturbance, older age, sibling group membership, or racial or ethnic minority status. The monthly subsidy cannot exceed what the child would have received in foster care and can be structured as cash, services, or a mix of both.12West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 49-4-112 – Adoption Subsidy West Virginia also offers a $4,000 state income tax credit for nonfamily adoptions, meaning adoptions of children not related to the taxpayer by blood or marriage.
How to Start
The first step is a foster parent inquiry, either through Mission WV’s online form or their toll-free line at 866-225-5698.5Bureau for Social Services. Foster Homes (In-State and Out-of-State) You can also contact the Bureau for Social Services directly or reach out to a licensed private child-placing agency in your area. From there the agency will walk you through the application, schedule PRIDE training, initiate background checks, and assign a specialist to start the home study.