Born to Serve
Utah Foster Care is a private 501(c)(3) (our W-9 Form) created by the Utah legislature and Governor Mike Leavitt in 1999. We work to develop innovative strategies to help find, educate, and support Utah foster families. Utah Foster Care fulfills this goal through a contract with the Utah’s Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS).
When the Legislature and Governor Mike Leavitt created Utah Foster Care, they envisioned a state where children who must spend time in out-of-home care are offered safe, loving, and stable homes until they can be reunited with their families or placed in a permanent adoptive home. Utah Foster Care has recruited and trained more than 16,650 families since its inception.
United in Service to Utah’s Children
Utah Foster Care is a proud member of a team of state and private agencies serving the needs of children and families in crisis. Three agencies, in particular, form a powerful front in this ongoing effort:
Utah Foster Care
We’re Utah Foster Care, and we’re a private, non-profit organization that has a contract with the State of Utah. We find, train, and nurture foster families — we also train kinship and specific caregivers. Once they’re licensed, we support foster families through donor-supported programs and ongoing training. This whole site is about us!
Utah’s Office of Licensing
Utah’s Office of Licensing (OL) is a state agency under Utah’s Department of Human Services. OL licenses foster families as part of its broader mission. OL is responsible to make sure that families meet all of the required licensing standards. As part of this process, licensors visit the homes of prospective foster/adoptive families in order to complete what’s called a “home study”.
Utah’s Division of Child & Family Services
Utah’s Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS) is also part of Utah’s Department of Human Services. DCFS is responsible for investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect. When it’s determined children are no longer safe to remain with their biological families, DCFS places them in foster care. DCFS then continues to supervise their care and oversee the services they receive.
