StepStone Family & Youth Services of Kentucky

About Us

Children need a safe place they can call home. And families need strong support too. StepStone Family & Youth Services of Kentucky supports young people in need of alternative, safer living environments.

We connect children who need homes to families who provide nurturing care. We’re committed to making a difference in the lives of the children, families and communities we serve.

We believe

• Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and healthy environment
• No family functions well in isolation. Support systems are an essential ingredient for families
• Families possess strengths upon which to build
• A crisis can create an opportunity for change

Our foster care process

You’ll begin your journey towards becoming a foster parent by completing the licensing application and home study while simultaneously attending pre-service training classes.

Depending on the type of training you need, the process can take seven to ten weeks. Classes are all offered online consisting of on-demand courses and four zoom sessions lasting two hours each. This pre-service training is offered twice monthly and will be interactive with other foster parents in training.

These trainings help guide the way for you to successfully parent children who started life in a family that is most likely very different from yours. The pre-service classes teach these skills and help support you as you prepare to become a foster parent.

Licensing

• Completion of the licensing application
• Participation in pre-service training
• Completion of the home study process
• A positive recommendation to the State Licensing Office
• Approval of the licensing request from your state Department of Community Based Services (DCBS)

 

Therapeutic & non-therapeutic foster care

Therapeutic foster parents provide a structured and nurturing environment for vulnerable youth. They are specially trained to support a child’s emotional and developmental needs and are continually supported by our agency staff.

Non-therapeutic foster care is traditional foster care that provides the caring, safety and security that kids need. Children in non-therapeutic foster care are typically developing kids in need of a safer, more stable living environment.