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Thompson CFF Charlotte NC Foster Care

Foster Care

96% INTERNAL PLACEMENT STABILITY IN FOSTER CARE*

Thompson has long been the largest provider of foster care services in North Carolina and has now expanded into South Carolina.

The number of foster children continues to rise and the need for foster families becomes more crucial. Children who are removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect carry the weight of broken trust. Each positive interaction they experience in a safe, loving home helps them rebuild that trust and move closer to healing. By simply offering a space filled with love and stability, you become a crucial part of their journey, helping to mend the wounds that will allow them to impact many lives in the future.

Our Foster Care team will walk alongside you every step of the way, offering comprehensive training, guidance on the certification process, ongoing support, and a community of care. Together, we can empower children to thrive, nurture families to grow, and build stronger, healthier communities.

Foster Parenting

Becoming a foster parent is more than opening your home—it’s opening your heart to make a profound and lasting difference in the life of a child. Foster parenting offers the chance to provide stability, love, and hope to children who have faced significant challenges. It’s a journey of compassion, patience, and growth, where you’ll not only change a child’s life but enrich your own in ways you never imagined.

Traditional Foster Care

Children and youth ages 0–21 who are in need of a loving, stable, and supportive home environment. These children may have experienced neglect, abuse, or trauma and are seeking a safe space where they can thrive emotionally and physically. Foster parents in this program play a vital role in providing care, consistency, and a nurturing foundation.

Therapeutic Foster Care

Children and youth ages 0–21 who need structured interventions and therapeutic support to help them overcome emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges. Foster parents in this program partner with therapists and case managers to provide a healing and empowering environment. Their goal is to help the child build coping skills, resilience, and confidence to achieve long-term success.

Teen Supports

A short-term (6–9 months) placement program designed for high-needs youth ages 7–18. This program provides intensive daily therapeutic support for both the youth and their foster families, ensuring they have the tools and guidance needed to work through challenges. Foster parents in this program play a critical role in helping teenagers build trust, self-esteem, and the skills needed to move forward positively

Foster Parenting

Becoming a foster parent is more than opening your home—it’s opening your heart to make a profound and lasting difference in the life of a child. Foster parenting offers the chance to provide stability, love, and hope to children who have faced significant challenges. It’s a journey of compassion, patience, and growth, where you’ll not only change a child’s life but enrich your own in ways you never imagined.

Traditional Foster Care

Children and youth ages 0–21 who are in need of a loving, stable, and supportive home environment. These children may have experienced neglect, abuse, or trauma and are seeking a safe space where they can thrive emotionally and physically. Foster parents in this program play a vital role in providing care, consistency, and a nurturing foundation.

Therapeutic Foster Care

Children and youth ages 0–21 who need structured interventions and therapeutic support to help them overcome emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges. Foster parents in this program partner with therapists and case managers to provide a healing and empowering environment. Their goal is to help the child build coping skills, resilience, and confidence to achieve long-term success.

Teen Supports

A short-term (6–9 months) placement program designed for high-needs youth ages 7–18. This program provides intensive daily therapeutic support for both the youth and their foster families, ensuring they have the tools and guidance needed to work through challenges. Foster parents in this program play a critical role in helping teenagers build trust, self-esteem, and the skills needed to move forward positively.

FAQ

· Comprehensive training and 24/7 support

· Financial assistance and Medicaid coverage for the child

· Guidance through the licensing process

· Opportunities to foster children of all ages and backgrounds

Foster parents must:

· Be at least 21 years old

· Pass background checks and a home study

· Have a stable income and a safe home environment

· Complete required foster care training

The licensing process typically takes 3 to 6 months, depending on training completion, background checks, and home study evaluations.

Yes! Foster parents can be single, married, or cohabitating. You can rent or own your home, and you may have biological or adopted children.

What ages and backgrounds are the children in need of foster care?
Children range from newborns to 18 years old. Many have experienced trauma or neglect, and there is a high need for foster parents willing to care for older children and sibling groups.

We offer:

· Pre-licensing training and ongoing education

· 24/7 crisis support and case management

· Therapy and counseling resources

· Respite care when needed

Placements can last from a few days to several months or longer. The length of stay depends on the child’s circumstances and the goal of reunification or adoption.

Yes! Foster parents receive a monthly stipend to help cover the child’s expenses. Children in foster care also receive Medicaid coverage and other state-provided support.

Thompson works with foster families to provide support and, if necessary, find a better placement for the child while ensuring their well-being.

The primary goal of foster care is to reunite children with their birth families. Foster parents support this process by providing a stable, loving environment while birth families work toward reunification.

Step 1: Submit an application

Step 2: Attend an information session

Step 3: Complete pre-licensing training

Step 4: Pass background checks and a home study

Step 5: Get licensed and welcome a child into your home!

Take your first step today and Start Your Foster Journey

Foster Care Locations

Communities We Serve

*FY22-23 Results

See how others just like you have changed the lives of children by fostering.