Tompkins County announces Foster and Adoptive Parent Training

Published on August 19, 2026

African-American family consisting of an adult female, an adult male, a preteen, a child around 8 years old, and a child around 4 years old, they are standing in a field with woods behind them.,

Opening your heart and home to a child can be a life-changing experience for both parent and child. This fall, the Tompkins County Department of Social Services is offering a 10-week training program for adults interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents.

The program begins Wednesday, September 16, and will meet from 6–9 p.m. on Wednesday evenings at the Tompkins County Public Works Facility, 170 Bostwick Road in Ithaca. Registration is required.

Participants will complete the National Training and Development Curriculum for Foster/Adoptive Parents while learning about the responsibilities, rewards, and realities of welcoming a child into their home.

Foster parents provide safe, nurturing and temporary homes for children who cannot remain safely with their birth families. They may care for and support several children over time, each with their own experiences, strengths and needs. Foster parents also work alongside birth parents, social workers and other professionals as part of a team focused on helping families reunite whenever safely possible.

When a child cannot return to their birth family, a foster parent may have the opportunity to provide a permanent home through adoption. Becoming an adoptive parent means making a lifelong commitment and giving a child a family and home to call their own.

Tompkins County works to keep children connected to their communities whenever possible. Additional foster families are especially important for keeping siblings together and supporting teenage parents and their children.

The Department of Social Services provides foster families with training, ongoing support groups, and financial and medical assistance to help meet the needs of children in their care. Tompkins County currently has 55 foster homes, but additional families are needed to provide local options for children who require temporary care.

Prospective foster parents must be at least 21 years old, in good health, financially stable and able to provide a safe and supportive home. Community members do not need to be ready to make an immediate commitment to participate; those who are beginning to explore foster care or adoption are encouraged to learn more.

To register for the September 16 training or request additional information, contact the Tompkins County Homefinder at (607) 274-5266 or jacalyn.spoon@dfa.state.ny.us.

Those unable to attend the fall program may contact the Homefinder to learn about future training opportunities.