Waterford Country School Foster Care Program

Waterford Country School is a non-profit, human services agency that provides community and residential programs for at-risk children in eastern Connecticut.  Included among the agency’s programs are Residential Treatment, Emergency Shelter, Safe Homes, Family Preservation & Reunification, Special Education, Experiential Education and Therapeutic Foster Care. Founded in 1922, Waterford Country School is committed to providing a safe environment for children in crisis and to support families with the resources, skills and tools necessary to create and maintain healthy, secure and self-sufficient home environments.The Therapeutic Foster Care Program is an integral component in Waterford Country School’s commitment to children and families. Therapeutic Foster Care is a higher level of care provided by private, non-profit agencies in CT such as Waterford Country School. Waterford Country School seeks families who are willing to foster children, ages 8-18, with emotional and behavioral challenges.

What does it take to be a foster parent?

Great foster families come in all shapes and sizes. Foster parents can be single adults, married couples, couples with kids or no kids. Ask yourself these questions as you think about becoming a foster parent.

Do you have enough room in your home to temporarily house a child? The child doesn't need to have their own ber

Can your home pass a safety inspection?

Do you have a history or record of abuse and neglect?

Do you have an adequate income to meet your own family's needs?

Do you have a strong support system you can rely on as a family?

Do you have experience working with children (especially adolescents) and feel you can give them the patience they need?

Do you have the ability to work with a team for the benefit of the child in your care?

Training
Foster parents participate in a pre-approval training program consisting of 37 hours of class led by staff trainers. We offer the PRIDE curriculum, a nationally acclaimed model for training foster parents that is used in more than 30 states. The training addresses issues such as grief and loss, natural and logical consequences, development and other areas relevant to the care of children in therapeutic foster care.   

Support
Once certified, Therapeutic foster parents receive 24/7 family support including:

• weekly visits from a Foster Care Coordinator

• around-the-clock crisis intervention/on-call service

• ongoing training opportunities

• monthly parent support group meetings

• unlimited planned and emergency respite

• assistance with your child’s needs from school advocacy to counseling

• substantial monthly reimbursement

For more information visit our website www.wcsfostercare.org We'll help you determine whether therapeutic foster care is right for you. Call the WCS office today to find out how you can help. Contact Elena French at 860.886.7500 x170 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it