Fostering a Home for Every Child

Your compassion can change a child’s story.

"You don’t have to be perfect to be a foster parent; you simply need a safe home and a willingness to care. If you can provide a stable, loving environment where a Mississippi child can heal and grow, we will walk alongside you every step of the way—offering support, training, and guidance so you can focus on what matters most: being there for a child who needs you."

Andrea SandersCommissioner, Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services
Start Your Journey Today See How We Support You
584
Mississippi children need your help
MDCPS, Q1 2026
15.5 hrs
Of pre-service training
24/7
Online trauma training
100%
Healthcare coverage via Medicaid
A Purpose-Driven Calling

Opening your home strengthens our entire community.

Becoming a foster parent is a profound way to serve the vulnerable and put your compassion into action. Whether you see this as a faith-based calling, an extension of your life's work in education, or a way to heal your community, your stable home is exactly what a child needs.

For many Mississippi families, fostering is a direct, faith-based calling to care for the vulnerable. We honor that calling by ensuring you never walk alone. Through active partnerships with local faith-based groups and the "Above and Beyond" recognition program, we wrap around your family so you can confidently wrap around a child.

We know it can feel daunting, especially if you have no prior parenting experience or worry about balancing logistics with your career. That is why MDCPS surrounds you with a dedicated support network.

15.5-Hour Pre-Service Training Mentoring Programs Financial Predictability MAMA App Resources
Urgent Need

Children in your area are waiting tonight.

Across Mississippi, there are specific regions experiencing a severe shortage of available homes. Select your area below to see the specific need in your community.

The Delta

Greenwood, Greenville, Vicksburg, Indianola, and Cleveland urgently require families to keep local children in their home communities.

Northeast Region

The Corinth and Columbus areas have a critical gap in available foster homes, displacing dozens of youth from their communities.

Gulf Coast & South MS

Hattiesburg, Pascagoula, Wiggins, Laurel, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Picayune communities face an extreme deficit, with an aggregate gap of over 180 homes.

Compatibility Check

Is fostering right for you?

1. Many prospective parents worry about having enough experience. How do you feel about your parenting skills?
2. Fostering is a commitment. Are you concerned about balancing the logistics (like appointments) with your current career?
3. Finally, do you have a stable housing situation? (Renters and homeowners are both welcome!)
You are exactly who Mississippi's children need.

You don't need to be perfect to be a foster parent. You just need the heart to serve. We have the tools, the training, and the community to support you every step of the way.

Start Application Get Free Info Guide
Moments of Connection
Foster family moment Foster family moment Foster family moment Foster family moment
Guided Every Step of the Way

We empower you to succeed.

From your first click to your first placement, here's what to expect:

Submit Your Application

Complete a 10-minute online application. You will be paired with an MDCPS liaison to answer questions and guide you.

Learn & Prepare

Complete 15.5 hours of comprehensive pre-service training. Access 24/7 online trauma training through Foster Parent College. Most families are licensed within a few months.

Home Study & Licensing

A caseworker visits your home to finalize licensing. We review your preferences to ensure a strong, supportive match.

Welcome & Mentor

Welcome a child into your home. First-year families can be paired with veteran foster parents for real-world guidance.

Ongoing Support

From the "Above and Beyond" program to the Foster Parents' Bill of Rights, we ensure you have resources to thrive.

Demystifying the 15.5 Hours of Training

We don't expect you to know everything on day one. Our comprehensive masterclass equips you with exactly what you need to succeed.

1. Trauma-Informed Care

Understand the root causes of behaviors and learn scientifically-backed methods to help children heal.

2. De-escalation Techniques

Practical, everyday strategies to manage big emotions and build trust during difficult moments.

3. Navigating the System

Learn exactly how courts, caseworkers, and visitations work so you never feel out of the loop.

4. Daily Care & Logistics

From enrolling in school to managing medical appointments, we cover the brass tacks of fostering.

Real Tools for Real Life

We surround you with support.

We know you are busy balancing your career. MDCPS provides tangible, modern tools to ensure logistics never get in the way of providing love.

MAMA App Graphic showing categories like Pregnancy, Health, Adoption, Food, Goods, Safety, Money, Jobs, Child Care

Local Resources at Your Fingertips

Worried about finding support in rural communities? The MAMA app instantly connects you with local faith-based partnerships, child care, health services, and goods right in your zip code.

Front and back of the Mississippi Way2Go Debit Card

Enhanced Financial Predictability

Fostering shouldn't be a financial burden. Stipends range from $850–$1,800* depending on the needs of the child, administered through the MS Way2Go Card. This card can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted for clothes, groceries, etc.

* Average stipend for clothes and supplies

Doctor examining a smiling young girl's ears

Child's Health Care Taken Care Of

Access to complete medical support. Your child's complete medical, dental, and vision needs are handled so you can focus on providing a loving home.

Community Voices

Real Mississippi families. Real impact.

"As a working mom, I felt a strong, faith-based calling to care for vulnerable children. I worried about the lack of local resources in our rural coastal town, but the MAMA app and MDCPS’s partnerships with local faith-based groups gave our family the exact support system we needed."

Rachel M.
Rachel M.
Gulfport, Office Administrator

"When our kids left for college, the house felt too quiet. As a teacher, I saw fostering as an extension of my life’s work, but I was initially intimidated by the process. The Foster Parent Mentoring Program paired us with a 1st-year veteran who guided us perfectly."

Sarah & Tom T.
Sarah & Tom T.
Greenville, Middle School Teacher

"Being a nurse, I see family instability firsthand. Because we didn’t have kids of our own yet, I struggled. The 15.5 hours of training completely prepared us, and the Way2Go Card makes financial logistics incredibly simple."

Emily W.
Emily W.
Hattiesburg, Registered Nurse
Take the First Step

Ready to make a difference?
Start your application today.

The online application takes about 10 minutes. No cost, save your progress anytime, and an MDCPS specialist will guide you every step of the way.

~10 Minutes

Initial application is quick. Just basic info about you and your household.

No Cost to Apply

The entire application and licensing process is free of charge.

Save & Return

Your progress is saved. Return anytime and complete it on your schedule.

Support Throughout

A dedicated MDCPS liaison will guide you from application to placement.

Begin Your Application

Connected with an MDCPS licensing specialist within 3 to 5 business days.

We Believe In Complete Transparency

You shouldn't have to fear the process. As a foster parent, you are a respected, vital professional member of the child's care team. In proud partnership with the federal ACF: A Home for Every Child initiative, we are actively cutting red tape to streamline the licensing process, expand our support networks, and protect your rights.

Download the Foster Parents' Bill of Rights ↓
Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know

Not at all! You don’t need to be a "perfect" parent—you just need to bring your everyday professional and life superpowers home. Nurses already know how to heal, teachers already know how to guide, and office admins already know how to organize chaos. We provide the 15.5 hours of training to comfortably fill in the rest.
We understand that navigating the child welfare system can feel intimidating. That is why Mississippi operates under the Foster Parents’ Bill of Rights. This guarantees that you are treated with dignity, respect, and trust as a vital professional member of the child’s care team. Additionally, our Foster Parent Mentoring Program can pair you with a 1st-year veteran to help you navigate the process with confidence.
Saying goodbye is often the hardest part of fostering, but it is also a beautiful success story of a family being healed. We know this transition can be emotionally taxing. That is why we provide access to 24/7 online trauma training through Foster Parent College (FPC), alongside a supportive community of veteran foster parents through our Mentoring Program, to help you and the child navigate these emotional transitions healthily.
Integrating a new child into your home is a big transition for everyone, which is why we consider your family’s unique dynamics during the matching process. Fostering can be a deeply rewarding, faith-building experience for your biological children, teaching them profound compassion. Through the MAMA app and our partnerships with local faith-based groups, your entire family will have a strong, local support system to lean on.
To foster in Mississippi, you must be at least 21 years old, have a stable source of income, pass criminal background checks for all household members, and have adequate space in your home. You do not need to own your home; renters are eligible. Single individuals, married couples, and unmarried couples may all apply.
Not at all. Many wonderful foster parents have no biological children. What matters is your ability to provide a nurturing, stable environment. Whether you’re single, partnered, or a grandparent, MDCPS welcomes you to apply.
Fostering provides a temporary home for a child while their case is being resolved — most children in foster care are working toward reunification with their biological family. Adoption is a permanent legal commitment. They’re different paths but connected ones. Many families find that fostering is a natural first step toward discovering whether adoption is right for them.
We're Here for You

Questions? We've got answers.

Our team is standing by to help you take the next step. Reach out by phone or email.

Call Our Foster Care Hotline

Speak with a Mississippi foster care specialist. Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.

1-800-821-9157

Email a Specialist

Send us your questions and we'll connect you with a local licensing specialist.

fprecruitment@mdcps.ms.gov

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