Noble Children's Services
Minimum Requirements
- Prospective foster/adoptive parents may be single or married
- Be at least 21 years of age, financially stable, and responsible mature adults ​
- Complete an application & other required documents
- Share information regarding background and lifestyle
- Provide relative and non-relative references
- Show proof of marriage and/or divorce (if applicable)
- Agree to a home study which includes interviews with all household members
- Allow staff to complete a criminal history and an abuse/neglect check on all adults in the household (ages 14 and older)
- Attend training and certification classes
- Have adequate sleeping space for children
- Have a home that is safe and in good repair
- Agree to a nonphysical discipline policy
- Permit fire, health and safety inspections of the home
- Vaccinate all pets
- Obtain TB testing as required by the local Health Department for household members
- Attend 20 hours or more of ongoing training each year
Foster Care & Adoptive Home Certification Process
Step One: Application and Background Check
Complete the initial application, along with a background check consent form. We will also need a copy of your driver's license and social security card to be able to run your background check. These items will assist staff in determining eligibility.
Application can be found by clicking HERE
Background Check Consent form can be found by clicking HERE
*Note: Additional paperwork will need to be completed, but those items will be shared as you are going through this process.*
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Step Two: Education
Training and education help families prepare for the placement and on-going care of a child in their home. Applicants will attend training sessions provided by Noble Children's Services, as well as complete some online trainings. All of these trainings focus on protecting and nurturing children, meeting needs, supporting family relationships, connecting children to safe, nurturing relationships and working as a member of a professional team. Various topics are covered, such as Safe Sleeping, Transportation of a Child, Cultural Competency/Diversity, Human Trafficking, Trauma Informed Care and many more. Families will also receive certifications in CPR/First Aid
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Step 3: Home Study
Noble Children's Services staff will meet with you in order to learn more about family history, motivation, parenting styles, experiences, the family's resources and discuss characteristics of children that you are best suited to care for.
Step 4: Child Placement
Noble Children's Services staff and the Department of Family and Protective Services together will match children with a family that best meets their needs based upon the home study.
Step 5: Post Placement
Noble Children's Services provides on-going support to families after children or youth have been placed in the home. We provide on-going training, service planning and coordination of community and specialized resources. Our agency also helps coordinate the completion of adoptive placements.
Ready to Complete Some
Pre-Service Trainings?
Below are some DFPS training links to several required trainings. A completion certificate should be provided after completing each training. Be sure to save those for your records, as well as to send to us for your foster parent training file.
DFPS Training Links
Texas Children Waiting to be Adopted
The Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) website helps match children awaiting adoption with adoptive parents. It includes photos and profile information on children available for adoption and allows families to provide information about their adoption preferences and interests in adopting a child.
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Note: Children come into the care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) due to abuse or neglect. Therefore, families who adopt children through the agency should have an understanding or be willing to learn the dynamics of neglect and physical or sexual abuse.