About this recommendation

Foster families are often overwhelmed with responsibilities and let licensing renewal requirements like training and paperwork fall by the wayside. Mailed reminders can be easily lost in the volume of other mailings received from a foster care agency (especially if your agency does not distinguish important mail). Most systems do not have an electronic portal for families to check their renewal status on their own, leaving families dependent on manual communications.

Send an email to foster families two to three months before their license expires, outlining the steps required for their renewal.

How to do this

Maintain a spreadsheet of currently licensed families and their renewal dates.
Write an email to a current foster family with an upcoming renewal and include every possible renewal requirement. Save this email as a template.
When a family is 60 to 90 days out from their renewal date, send them this email. You can edit the requirement list to reflect their remaining steps as needed.
Respond as needed to continually mark requirements as complete and highlight remaining steps.

Anticipated costs and benefits

Costs

Benefits

Free

Families can complete their renewal requirements faster
Families need fewer follow-ups from their licensing worker, saving staff time
Increases foster family retention

Who's doing this

1 of 54 states and territories have implemented this recommendation.

Frederick County, Maryland