News  DCF Foster Parents to Receive Additional Payment for Providing Care During COVID-19

Governor Baker announced Friday that departmental foster parents would receive additional payments of $100 per month for April, May, and June. As a result of school closings and work from home recommendations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, foster families are incurring increased costs of food, utilities, and household items.

“Foster parents have become 24/7 teachers, cooks, coaches and anything and everything else their families need them to be,” said DCF Commissioner Linda S. Spears. “I am pleased that we are able to provide some extra help to our foster families, whose resilience and commitment to our kids and their health and wellbeing during this time is truly remarkable.”

Foster parents are vital to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and its mission to keep children safe, caring for some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable children who have been abused and neglected. On average, foster parents are reimbursed between $830 to $975 per child per month, depending on the age of the child in their care. This $100 payment represents a 10% - 12% increase over current reimbursements for foster parents.

Foster families will receive the additional $100 for each child placed in their home on the 15^th of the month (4/15, 5/15, and 6/15). Payments are expected to be distributed beginning the last week in April.

The relief will benefit the approximately 4,500 foster families who provide departmental foster care for 6,700 children. This includes kinship and unrestricted foster parents.