Foster Families
Foster care is one of the most meaningful things a family can do. It is also one of the most demanding. This page exists to help you go in with eyes open, well prepared, and deeply rooted.
Start Here
Before you research agencies or tell your kids you're considering this — pray. Seriously and at length. Take weeks with it. Seek God's face for wisdom and clarity, and move forward only when you have genuine conviction that this is where He is leading your family. That certainty matters more than any training or support network you'll build later.
Foster care will test your marriage, your patience, and your faith in ways you can't fully anticipate. The families who sustain this work for years aren't the most prepared logistically — they're the ones anchored to something that doesn't move when everything else does.
Here are three high-value suggestions we ask you to consider before launching into foster care:
Placing older foster children above younger biological kids can expose them to behaviors they aren't ready for. Be honest with your agency about ages and needs before you say yes.
If both spouses can't honestly say "our marriage is strong," don't foster. It will stress the healthiest marriage and fracture a struggling one. This isn't a caution — it's a rule.
Foster children don't outrank your biological children — they hold equal value. If your family is already stretched thin, be honest about what you have to give before you open your door.
Build Your Team
The team you build before you start is the one that keeps you going — and it needs to be in place before you're licensed.
The most common reason foster families quit isn't the kids or the system — it's isolation. A wrap team fixes that: at least six people from your church who've given an active, informed yes to support your family, not just a vague "let us know if you need anything."
Don't be afraid to ask people in your church even if they aren't close friends — this is what the church is for.
The single most valuable thing your team can provide: two or three families rotating weekly or biweekly to take the kids for an afternoon. That rhythm of rest is what makes the rest of the week sustainable.
People you can call for anything without hesitation — school pickups, groceries on a brutal day, a ride when your car's in the shop. What matters is you know they've said "yes" already.
Foster parents can't be the only trusted adult in a child's life. Someone who knows your family and takes that kid to lunch once a month builds trust in ways a parent sometimes can't.
Know Before You Decide
Tennessee's foster care system places children at three levels based on their needs. Understanding the difference before you choose an agency and open your home will help you make a decision that's honest and sustainable for your family. Sustainability is key, and taking on more than you can handle leaves everyone a step behind when the dust settles. Choose the level you can sustainably care for, and then realize, not every kid is the same.
Children at Level 1 have minimal behavioral or emotional needs. They may have experienced neglect or instability but do not routinely require specialized therapeutic intervention. Level 1 placements are the closest to a "typical" parenting experience within the foster care context — often younger children or children whose trauma history has not yet produced significant behavioral challenges.
Level 2 children have moderate behavioral or emotional challenges stemming from their history. They require more intentional, trauma-informed parenting and may be involved in therapy or other support services. Families taking Level 2 placements should expect more complexity in daily life and a higher administrative load — more appointments and more coordination with caseworkers and service providers.
Level 3 is the highest level of need. These children have significant trauma histories and require specialized, therapeutic parenting — intensive, consistent, and demanding. Foster parents at Level 3 receive additional training, higher per diem support, and typically work through agencies that specialize in therapeutic care and provide 24/7 on-call support. This level requires the most honest self-assessment before committing.
A note: the level of a child's placement does not determine their worth, their potential, or how much love they are capable of giving and receiving. It is simply a framework to help families match their capacity to a child's needs.
Finding Your Agency
Your licensing agency is your legal partner in foster care. They certify your home, match you with placements, provide training, and support you throughout the process. Below are the Christian agencies currently operating in Tennessee. Contact each one directly to find the best fit for your household.
Christ-centered therapeutic foster care agency founded in 1967. Bair specializes in Level 3 placements — children with significant trauma histories who require intensive, therapeutic parenting. Nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA). Offers 24/7 on-call support and a dedicated caseworker per family. East Tennessee office in Knoxville. Foster-to-adopt pathway available.
The George Shinn Foster Care Program through TBCH licenses families for Level 1 and Level 2 placements. Founded in 1891. Statewide offices including Knoxville, Jackson, and Brentwood. Baptist affiliation. Privately funded — no government funding. Foster-to-adopt pathway available. TBCH also operates residential campus homes for children not in state custody.
Faith-centered agency headquartered in Greeneville, TN, serving Tennessee families since 1939. Provides statewide foster parent recruitment, trauma-informed training, and licensing support in partnership with DCS, plus dedicated family specialists and ongoing community events for foster families after placement.
Founded in 1895, headquartered in Greeneville TN with offices in Knoxville, Johnson City, Chattanooga, and Tri-Cities. Partners with families who feel called to provide a temporary home for children who have experienced trauma, teenagers, sibling groups, and children with medical concerns. Foster homes must align with Holston Home's statement of faith. COA and Hague accredited. Offers round-the-clock on-call support and dedicated Child & Family Specialist per family.
Haven 686 does not endorse any specific agency. We encourage families to contact each one directly to find the best fit for their household.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach,
and it will be given him.
— James 1:5