The Faster Families Highway & the Family Match Profile are different names for the same resource. It is an online tool that is used to connect families interested in becoming foster parents with local departments of social services. For Fairfax County, completing a profile is the first step in our process to becoming a foster parent. When you are ready to begin your profile visit the Faster Families Highway.
There are many questions that allow us to get to know you and your family a little better. Some are general in nature (i.e., profession, hobbies, household members, etc.) while others are designed to provoke thought and prompt conversation about your fostering journey. You will be asked to answer questions about your parenting style, relationship/marriage (if you are in one), and the characteristics of children you feel you are able to care for.
The Family Match Profile will take approximately 1-1.5 hours to complete. It serves as the initial step in the mutual assessment process. You will begin to learn about foster care and the role of foster parents, while Fairfax County will learn about your family and preferences to meet the needs of the children we see in the community. Once you make an account, you can log out and finish your profile on multiple occasions if necessary.
Only professionals will have access to the information you share on Family Match. It is not open to the public. Faster Families Highway is a system used by many child welfare agencies nationally & statewide in hopes to increase department connections to families interested in fostering.
The system is organized by zip code. Therefore, your profile will populate for the local department in the jurisdiction where you reside.
Great news! Once you have completed your profile, the foster parent recruiter will reach out to you via email in about two business days. If you have not heard from the recruiter in that time, please call 703-324-7639 or send an email to follow-up. Sometimes there are glitches in the system. Please also log into your account to ensure your welcome letter is complete. This portion is done after the initial six sections of your profile have been submitted. The welcome letter is an opportunity to introduce yourself and your family to the department.
There is an online training offered through Family Match related to trauma. It is absolutely free, and you can access it after you finish making your profile. Trauma, and the many different ways it is expressed, is a very important topic to begin to learn about as you decide if fostering is right for you. The internet also has a wealth of knowledge related to child welfare. You are welcome and encouraged to do your own personal research about fostering as well. Some great topics to begin your search include the importance of cultural connection in transracial placements, the importance of biological family connection, adverse childhood events (ACES’s), and trauma. For your convenience, here is a resource offered by the North American Council on Adoptable Children that we recommend you read to begin your learning journey.
