FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FOSTER PARENTING

How many foster parents does Gardner-Simmons have?

Gardner-Simmons averages about 13-20 foster parents at any given time.

How many foster children does Gardner-Simmons serve?

This number is dependent upon the number of foster parents and the availability of space in their homes.  Gardner-Simmons averages about 13-20 foster children at one time.  We serve about 30-40 foster children in one year.

What do you have to do to become a foster parent with Gardner-Simmons?

Please visit the foster home program page on this website for detailed information about foster parenting.

Who refers children to Gardner-Simmons?

All referrals come from Department of Human Services.

Does Gardner-Simmons have legal custody of the children in their care?

No.  The legal custody holder for all of the children placed in the care of Gardner-Simmons is Department of Human Services.

Which counties does the Gardner-Simmons Foster Home Program serve?

The foster home program accepts referrals within a 75 mile radius of the Gardner-Simmons administrative office located in Tupelo, MS.  This area includes Panola, Marshall, Benton, Tippah, Alcorn, Tishomingo, Lafayette, Union, Prentiss, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Monroe, Webster, Clay, Lowndes, and Okitbbeha counties. 

How much does it cost to be a foster parent?

There is no fee involved with foster parenting.  There are expenses that go along with being a foster parent.  For example, all foster parents must be CPR certified and they must pay for the certification on their own. 

How many children can I serve at any given time?

You are allowed to have up to 5 children (this includes biological children) in your home at any given time provided you have the appropriate amount of space.  Also, our agency must feel that you have the adequate amount of support and resources to care for this many children.

Are foster parents allowed to adopt the children placed in their homes?

Sometimes, but Gardner-Simmons is not an adoption agency.  While we have a high adoption rate, we cannot guarantee that any child placed in your home will ever be free for adoption.