[1]Choose to be a Resource Family
- Provide a safe, loving home for children who need care.
- Work together with families and Child Welfare Services to support children’s futures.
- Make a lasting difference in the life of a child and your community.
All children deserve a safe, loving, and consistent place to live where they can grow and thrive. A Resource Family provides that home.
About the Resource Family Approval Program
The Resource Family Approval (RFA) Program is a simple, family-friendly, and child-centered process. Once approved, Resource Families may be considered for:
- Foster care
- Guardianship
- Adoption placements
Placement depends on the Resource Family’s goals.
What Is a Resource Family?
A Resource Family is California’s term for anyone who provides care for children in foster care. This can include:
- Individuals, couples, or whole families
- Relatives
- Family friends
- Mentors
- People with no prior relationship to the child
The term Resource Family replaces older terms like foster parent, adoptive parent, or relative caregiver.
Why Resource Families Matter
- They give children safety, stability, and care when they can’t live at home.
- Child Welfare Services (CWS) looks first to relatives, friends, or people close to the child to provide stability.
- Resource Families work with CWS staff and the child’s parents to support reunification whenever possible.
- There is always a need for more Resource Families to help children stay connected to their communities.
Get Started
For more information or help with an application, contact:
Mono County Department of Social Services
Call: (760) 924-1770 [2]
Supporting Documents
Resource Family Approval Brochure 2019 [6] (760 KB) 