Click the image above to access the Child and Adult Information Portal (CAIP), a secure, password protected portal that allows Foster Parents to obtain important information for the child or children in your care. 

Questions?  Comments?  Concerns?

Please contact the Foster Parent Liaison at 
fphelp@dss.sc.gov or 803-898-4174.

• Back to School Edition 2023
• Foster Parent Handbook, 2020 

FOSTER PARENT FACTS
Quarterly Updates and Information from SCDSS for Foster Parents

• Spring 2024
• Fall 2023
• Spring 2023
• Fall 2022
• Back-to-School Edition 2022
• Summer 2022
• February 2022
• September 2021
• Summer Edition 2021
• May 2021
• February 2021
• November 2020
• August 2020
• May 2020

• Resources for Foster Parents, Child Welfare Information Gateway
  
  
• Helping Children in Foster Care Transition to Child Care
  
  
• Safe Sleep for Infants

Special COVID-19 Communications 

• COVID-19 Vaccination Guidance - Jan 2022
• Transition Plans for In-Person Foster Family Home Visitation
  
  
• Pandemic EBT for Eligible Children in Foster Care
  • Letter to Foster Care Providers Re: PEBT (3-15-2021)
  • PEBT 2.0 FAQs (2-26-2021)
    
    
• Pandemic Relief for Older Youth 
• COVID-19 Vaccination Update (4-2021)

CDC Monkeypox Guidance
Refer here for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's frequently asked questions factsheet: What You Need to Know about Monkeypox if You are a Teen or Young Adult.

GOALL, Go Out and Learn Life, is the youth advisory board for the Department of Social Services. The youth on the board are in Foster Care. Below are resources developed by GOALL.

• Being There for Youth in Care
• Honoring a Youth’s Story: Tips for Respectful Sharing
• Lighting the Way to Self-Discovery
• Our Journey Beyond Sight: Key Points to Keep in Mind When Working with Youth
• Youth Thoughts on Adoption
• Ways to Connect with a Youth Audience

Questions?  Comments?  Concerns?

Please contact the Foster Parent Liaison at 
fphelp@dss.sc.gov or 803-898-4174.

• SC Foster Parent Association
• County Foster Parent Association Directory (Scroll to the map to find resources by region.)
• SCDSS Child and Adult Information Portal (CAIP)
• Pro-Parents of SC
• Family Connection SC
• Family Resource Center for Disabilities and Special Needs 
• Federation of Families, SC 

• SC Foster Parent Association
• SCDSS Child and Adult Information Portal (CAIP)
• Pro-Parents of SC 
• Children’s Trust of SC, Programs
• Joint Council on Children and Adolescents

Questions?  Comments?  Concerns?

Please contact the Foster Parent Liaison at 
fphelp@dss.sc.gov or 803-898-4174.

SCDSS Child and Adult Information Portal (CAIP)

Child Care Resources

• ABC Child Care Program
• Family, Friend and Neighbor Child Care Enrollment and Agreement Form, DSS Form (April 12)
• South Carolina Voucher Program, Parent Handbook

Medical/Dental/Other Health Care 

• Medicaid Eligibility for Foster Care and Adoption (DHHS Communication)
• Medical/Dental Encounter Form, DSS Form
• Physician or Current Health Service Provider(s) and Telephone Numbers, DSS Form
• Well Child Dental Visits
• Dental Visits Informational Flyer
• Select Health Care Coordination
• Healthcare Consent Policies
  • Psychotropic Medication Informed Consent - DSS Form 2056
• Foster Children and WIC

Foster Home Safety 

• Foster Parent Disaster Plan Checklist Brochure
• Foster Home Fire Drill Report Form
• Foster/Adoptive Family Disaster Plan
  

Foster Care Provider/Vendor Services

• Foster Child Progress Report Form
• Authorization Agreement and Enrollment Form (Electronic Vendor Payment)
• Foster Care Respite/ College Youth Overnight Payment Invoice, DSS Form
• NYTD Services Provided by the Youth’s Placement Provider

Questions?  Comments?  Concerns?

Please contact the Foster Parent Liaison at 
fphelp@dss.sc.gov or 803-898-4174.

• Foster Care Policy and Procedure
• FAQs on Sharing Birth Family Information
• Foster Child Travel Policy
• Child Protection Hearings in South Carolina
• Role of Foster Parents in Family Court
• Foster/Adoptive Home Regulations - Questions and Answers

• Alternative Family Cognitive Behavior Therapy (AF-CBT), Child Welfare Information Gateway
• Behavioral Management for Adolescents in Child Welfare, Child Welfare Information Gateway
  
• Understanding Children’s Behavior and Helping Them Heal, Child Welfare Information Gateway 
• Trauma Resources for Caregivers and Families, Child Welfare Information Gateway
• Project Best Roster of Therapists Trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Birth Parents with Trauma Histories
• The Adolescent Brain: New Research and Its Implications for Young People Transitioning From Foster Care, (2011, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative)
• Family Guide to Systems of Care for Children with Mental Health Needs, (2005 SAMSHA)

• OnGuard Online
• Living Life Online
• Cyberbullying: What it is, how to talk about it and prevent it
• Social Media Safety, Child Welfare Information Gateway
• The Parents’ Guide to Teaching your Teen Online Safety

• Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Transgender (LGBT) Youth Support Line 1-800-246-7743
• Supporting Your LGBTQ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents
• Frequently Asked Questions From LGBTQ+ Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents
  (Factsheets for Families)

If you are parenting a youth in care 13 years or older, please make sure that you and/or your Foster Care caseworker are working with the DSS Chafee/ETV Division (formerly, Independent Living Unit). State and regional contact information can be found here.

• Chaffee/ETV Program (Independent Living) - Guidelines for Services Booklet
• Helping Youth Transition to Adulthood: Guidance for Foster Parents, Child Welfare Information Gateway
• Resources for Youth in Transition, Child Welfare Information Gateway

The Financial Empowerment Toolkit for Youth and Young Adults in Foster Care, developed by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Children, Youth and Families and the Office of Community Services.
The toolkit includes the following resources:

• A Financial Empowerment Toolkit for Youth and Young Adults in Foster Care 
• Know Your Credit History: How to Interpret a Credit Report 
• Get Tax Savvy: What You Need to Know About Taxes
• Creating a Credit Profile: How to Build Your Credit 
• Protect Yourself and Your Stuff: What You Need to Know About Insurance
  
  

National Youth in Transition Database
Provides information regarding the history and purpose of the NYTD, the first national data collection service for youth aging out of foster care.

SC National Youth in Transition Database