About this recommendation

While separating duties can make your agency feel more efficient, being passed between staff members can be confusing and unpleasant for potential foster families, even causing them to back out of the process. Warm hand-offs and opportunities to stay connected with staff members with whom they have developed relationships can help keep potential foster families engaged and more likely to continue through the licensing process.

Instead of passing off a potential foster family from a recruiter to a licensor, create more opportunities for warm hand-offs and for recruiting team members to continue seeing and interacting with their families.

How to do this

Identify opportunities for recruitment team members to continue to interact with their families, such as through trainings, home visits or community events.

Anticipated costs and benefits

Costs

Benefits

Low to no cost

Increased foster family retention and recruitment

Who's doing this

2 of 54 states and territories have implemented this recommendation.

Frederick County, MD has recruiters also conduct foster parent training, which means caregivers see a familiar face as they start the process.
Fairfax County, VA has recruitment team members join a family’s initial home visit for a warm hand-off to the licensor.