Foster Parents are committed to caring for and making a positive difference in someone's life. They do not conform to any standard profile. They represent a wide range of backgrounds and skill levels. They may be stay-at-home parent(s), empty nesters, retirees, social services professionals, etc. Foster Parents may be married or single, men or women, and represent a wide range of ethnicities and religions.

The youth we serve come from all walks of life. Some may have medical, emotional, or behavioral challenges, while others may have experienced abuse or neglect at some point in their lives. Like all people, it is essential that they have a warm, caring home where they can feel safe, valued, and loved.

Foster Parents provide specific care that is outlined by the child's treatment team. Foster Parents are also responsible for basic home care and related responsibilities to each child. This includes providing nutritious meals, transportation to school and all appointments and recreational activities, and supervision appropriate to the child's age.

Yes. Foster Parents work full-time or part-time while caring for youth. There are no requirements that you be a stay-at-home parent in order to be a therapeutic foster parent. However, for our full-time Foster Parents, sufficient flexibility with their work and personal schedules is required to accommodate their foster youth’s schedule. It is also important to have support from family and friends that are approved by the agency. Foster Parents will make a plan for supervision of the youth while the Foster Parent is at work.

Foster Parents are responsible for providing nutritious meals and snacks, basic personal care and hygiene supplies, clothing, linens, bedding, and a sleeping area with a place for personal items. Foster Parents receive a daily stipend to assist in covering these expenses.

Foster Parents must complete approximately 50 hours of pre-service training over seven weeks for licensing. Additionally, Foster Parents require 30 hours of annual continued training.

Yes, a family member, or trusted adult, can provide backup care for foster youth. However, they must first pass a State of Alaska background check.

Yes. YAS offers a weekly stipend to treatment Foster Parents to assist with the costs of care. Due to the specialized needs of youth in our program, treatment Foster Parents receive a higher stipend than those providing traditional foster care.