The Licensing Process
Foster Care
Becoming a licensed foster parent is a journey, and you are not expected to take it alone. From your first question to your first placement, an Angelheart caseworker walks beside you through every step below. Here is what to expect.
Before You Begin
Every foster home Angelheart verifies is licensed under the Texas HHS Chapter 749 CPA Minimum Standards. The steps that follow are how we help your family meet those standards together. Most families complete the process in a few months, though the timeline depends on training schedules, background check turnaround, and how quickly paperwork is returned. The more responsive you are, the faster we can move.
Before you start, it helps to confirm you meet the basic criteria. Take a moment to review the Foster Parent Requirements so there are no surprises along the way.
Step 1: Reach Out and Get Your Questions Answered
It starts with a conversation. Contact the Angelheart office nearest you, or send us your information through the Become a Foster Parent page, and a member of our staff will reach out to talk through what fostering looks like, answer your questions, and make sure Angelheart is the right fit for your family. There is no obligation at this stage — it is simply a chance to learn.
Step 2: Submit Your Application
When you are ready to move forward, complete and return the Foster Application, including criminal history forms for every family member 14 years of age and older. You can download the application below or request a printed packet from your area office. Angelheart staff are available to help if any part of the paperwork is unclear.
Step 3: Background Checks and Clearances
Texas requires criminal history and abuse/neglect background checks for every adult in the home, along with checks for household members 14 and older. You will also complete a negative T.B. test as part of your health clearance. These checks protect the children in our care and are a standard, required part of becoming licensed.
Step 4: Complete Pre-Service Training
Before a child is placed in your home, you will complete several required hours of foster parent training. Angelheart provides this training — facilitated by our staff and supplemented with community resources — to prepare you for the real joys and challenges of caring for children who have experienced trauma. Training also covers our policies, including our no physical discipline policy, which all foster parents agree to uphold.
Step 5: The Home Study
The home study is where we get to know your family. An Angelheart caseworker will meet with you, talk with the members of your household, and learn about your background, your home life, and why you want to foster. It is a conversation, not an interrogation — its purpose is to help us match children with families who can meet their needs and to set you up for success.
Step 6: Home Inspections
Your home will need to pass a health and fire inspection, and we will complete a walk-through to confirm it meets state safety standards. A few of the essentials:
- An available bedroom of at least 80 square feet for the foster child
- Dependable transportation
- A safe, healthy home environment that passes the required inspections
The checklists below show exactly what inspectors look for, so you can prepare your home with confidence.
Step 7: Verification and Licensing
Once your application, background checks, training, home study, and inspections are complete, Angelheart reviews everything and verifies your home as a licensed foster home under Texas standards. Congratulations — at this point you are ready to welcome a child.
Step 8: Your First Placement — and Ongoing Support
Licensing is the beginning, not the end. When a child is placed with you, Angelheart stays close: an on-call worker is available 24 hours a day, your caseworker remains accessible, and families take part in quarterly advisory meetings. We also provide respite assistance, mileage reimbursement, and monthly reimbursement rates to help with the day-to-day costs of caring for a child. You can read more about how we support foster families on our Foster Care page.
Have More Questions?
Wondering how long it takes, whether you can foster if you rent, or what happens after a child arrives? Visit our Foster Parent FAQ, or reach out anytime — we are happy to help.