Welcome to the 2026 February issue of Foster Family News, a monthly newsletter for current and potential Fairfax County foster parents. Our monthly newsletter shares resources, news, tips, events, and trainings relevant to foster and adoptive parents, children in care, and the resource workers who support them.
| Table of Contents |
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| Feature Articles |
| Events Central |
| Support Groups |
| FAQs, Story in Stats & Foster Care Facts |
| Trainings and Conferences |
VDSS Launches Stories from Foster Families Series
A new Virginia Department of Social Services video series is highlighting the real experiences of foster families across Virginia. The campaign, Stories from Foster Families: Notes Passed with Love, includes six individual videos featuring families from around the Commonwealth sharing their journeys, challenges, and triumphs.
The highlighted stories offer a powerful way for prospective foster parents to hear directly from families who have walked this path, see themselves in the stories, and consider fostering. They reflect Virginia’s commitment to kinship first, family reunification, and ensuring children remain connected to the people they love. Please check out and share these videos with folks you know who might be interested in foster care.
Research consistently shows that youth with foster care experience (FCE) face significantly higher rates of mental health challenges than their peers in the general population. To counteract this trend, we are offering Youth Mental Health First Aid tailored for our resource parents, Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 5 – 8:30 p.m., virtually via Zoom. Learn more about the training.
Lily entered the foster care system at 15 years old — shy, scared, unable to speak English, and facing the prospect of repeating the 9th grade. A caring foster family and a team of supportive foster care practitioners made a huge difference that is still having a ripple effect in Lily’s life and the lives of others she touches. Learn more about this remarkable young woman and her journey to becoming an educator.
Learn how Julie Bowman, a Foster Care and Adoption program manager with Fairfax County Department of Family Services, contributed to the creation of a national playbook as a resource for best practices and change for youth. Each section of the playbook focuses on an area of support for young people moving through the child welfare system, such as employment, housing, permanency, and health. Learn more about this joint effort of the National Collaborative for Transition-Age Youth.
There have been some significant changes to the tax law impacting foster and adoptive parents. We’re not tax experts, but we’ve compiled some highlights about the 2025 Adoption Tax Credit and dependent and qualifying child rules. Check it out.
Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University are seeking foster parents to complete a survey regarding their experiences caring for children and youth in foster care. The study seeks to better understand the experience of being a foster parent, including motivation to become a foster parent, and resources that are helpful. Learn more and complete the interest form. Please direct questions to the study leaders at 804-628-8772.
Monthly Foster Care Information Meeting
Tuesday, Feb. 10
6:45-8:30 p.m.
Are you curious about becoming a foster parent? Are you or someone close to you ready for the next step to help children that need a temporary home? We need more foster parents, and information meetings are one of the ways we get to know prospective parents. Information meetings for prospective parents are by invitation only. To attend the meeting first complete a short interest form to help us get to know you better, and you will be contacted promptly by one of our specialists. The full 2025 meeting schedule and additional information are available online. Check it out and share it with others who might be interested.
The Department of Family Services supports families and county residents of all ages and stages of life – and that definitely includes foster parents and families! Like and Follow @FairfaxCountyFamilyServices for news, events, tips, stories, training opportunities and more.
A variety of organizations offer support to adoptive, foster, and kinship care families in our region. Register online for a preferred support group.
Various dates, 6:30-8 p.m. – Foster the Family Support Groups for foster, kinship, and adoptive moms throughout the region. Support group attendance may count towards training and recertification hours. Childcare registration is limited. Learn more about changes to their services in the DC area. Maryland County Support Groups.
Sunday, Feb. 1, 7:30-9 p.m. – Formed Families Forward Virtual Peer Support Groups for foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Thursday, Feb. 5, 6:30-8 p.m. – Formed Families Forward Virtual Fairfax Kinship Support Group for caregivers to safely share their experiences, concerns, and frustrations with their peers. In partnership with Fairfax County Government.
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 7-8:30 p.m. – Formed Families Forward in-Person Peer Support Groups for foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Thursday, Feb. 19, 6:30-8 p.m. – Formed Families Forward In-Person Fairfax Kinship Support Group for caregivers to safely share their experiences, concerns, and frustrations with their peers. In partnership with Fairfax County Government.
Each newsletter will include this section to help answer questions, spotlight the people who support foster families, highlight the donors and sponsors who generously give to foster care programs and activities and friendly reminders for foster families to sign-up for trainings.
How long does the court/administrative process take for reunification, termination of parental rights and adoption?
Answer: Reunification: The initial court process to work toward reunification or relative placement is one year. However, this time can be extended for a variety of reasons. The first foster care-related court hearing is called a dispositional hearing and occurs within 60 days of a child entering foster care. This is the hearing where the permanency goal outlined on the child’s service plan is approved. Prior to this hearing, you will receive a copy of the service plan that describes the permanency goal (i.e., return home) and what needs to happen to achieve the goal. The next court hearing is called a foster care review hearing, and it is scheduled within four months after the 60-day dispositional hearing. The purpose of this hearing is to review progress made on the initial foster care service plan by all parties and to make changes to the plan.
Termination of Parental Rights: A third foster care hearing, known as the permanency planning hearing, occurs within five months of the foster care review hearing and within 11 months of the date. The purpose of this hearing is to establish a permanent goal for a child and to either achieve the permanent goal, or to defer through the approval of an interim plan. If an interim plan is approved, a second permanency planning hearing will occur within six months. Other outcomes for this hearing include a change of goal and/or requesting approval of a termination of parental rights petition. If approved, a subsequent hearing for a trial is scheduled. The timeframe for this varies. In some cases, the trial can occur at the time of the permanency planning hearing.
Adoption: After the court approves the termination of parental rights, cases are reviewed by the court on an annual basis. The purpose of these hearings is to monitor the progress toward the goal of achieving permanency through adoption. In addition, six-month adoption progress reports are sent to the court and all parties on the case. The permanency timeline for finalizing an adoption is 24 months from the time a child enters foster care. This timeframe varies based upon the adoption recruitment process, the needs of a child and those of the adoptive family. The adoption process will include the following:
- an approved adoptive home study or mutual family assessment for the family
- the adoptive family enters into a legal adoption agreement
- the Department provides supervisory visits to the child and adoptive family for at least six months
- adoption full disclosure is given to the adoptive family
- an approved adoption assistance agreement for support and needed services
- Adoption Consent given by the agency director
- an adoption attorney contracted for/retained by the adoptive family
- all legal documents completed and filed in Circuit Court
- a Final Order of Adoption signed by the Circuit Court judge
Check out other frequently asked questions and answers from past issues.
For Youth in Fairfax County Foster Care or Fostering Futures
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