Become a Sponsor Parent

Open your home. Change a childhood.

Sponsor Parents are the heart of United Community Services. They welcome one or two youth into their family, provide daily structure and care, and become the stable adult presence a young person may not have had before.

The role

You are a parent-figure, not a shift worker.

A Sponsor Parent is a contracted care provider who welcomes a young person into their own home as a full member of the household. For meals, for school runs, for weekends, for birthdays.

You do not clock in and out. You are not "on staff." You are the adult who is there, first thing in the morning, at the school pickup, and at bedtime. UCSI stands behind you with training, weekly coordinator support, coordination with the youth's community therapist and providers, and financial support that recognizes the real work of what you do.

This is one of the most demanding and meaningful roles in child welfare. It is also, when the fit is right, one of the most rewarding.

Sponsor parent reading with children
Who qualifies

Sponsor Parent requirements.

You do not need to be married, wealthy, or a professional caregiver. You do need to meet these baseline requirements.

Age
At least 21 years old
Home
Own or rent a residence in Virginia with a private or shared bedroom available for a youth, meeting basic health and fire safety standards
Background
Clean criminal background check and child protective services check for all adult household members. DMV record required for any adult who will transport the youth.
Health
Physically and emotionally able to care for a youth. Free from communicable disease. Basic health screening for all household adults.
Household
Every adult in the home participates in the approval process. Total household (including placed youth) cannot exceed 7.
Availability
Able to provide day-to-day care. Employment is allowed; UCSI works with you on schedule and school-hours coverage.
Commitment
Willingness to complete pre-service training and ongoing quarterly in-service hours, and to be a consistent presence for the youth placed with you.
What UCSI provides

You are never doing this alone.

Training that actually helps

Pre-service curriculum covers trauma, behavioral interventions, medication administration, CPR/First Aid, mandated reporting, human rights, and cultural responsiveness, plus quarterly in-service refreshers.

A coordinator who knows your youth

A Sponsored Professional Coordinator visits your home weekly, is reachable during business hours, and is your first call for any question, small or large.

After-hours support

When something happens after hours (a crisis, a hospitalization, a runaway concern), the UCSI on-call phone reaches a member of our team who will help you triage, contact the youth's community providers, and connect to emergency services when needed.

Financial support

Monthly stipend that reflects the real cost and work of care. Details are shared during the application conversation.

Respite

Approved Relief Sponsor Parents provide planned respite so you can rest, travel, and stay well.

A community

Monthly Sponsor Parent gatherings, peer mentorship from experienced Sponsor Parents, and a leadership team that listens and adjusts.

The application process

Six steps from interest to first placement.

  1. Reach out. Call us or send an email. We answer questions in plain language and never pressure anyone.
  2. Attend an information session. Meet current Sponsor Parents and hear the real story of what the role looks like day-to-day.
  3. Complete the application packet. Basic application, references, background and CPS checks for adults in the home, DMV for adult drivers, health screening, and household composition.
  4. Home study. A UCSI staff member visits your home, walks through the space, meets everyone in the household, and confirms that safety standards are met.
  5. Training. Complete pre-service training: trauma, behavioral interventions, CPR/First Aid, medication administration, mandated reporting, human rights.
  6. Approval and matching. Once approved, you meet a youth whose needs fit your home. Nothing moves forward without your consent.
Common questions

You are probably wondering…

Do I have to be married or have kids of my own?

No. Single adults, couples, empty-nesters, and families with kids at home all serve as Sponsor Parents. What matters is stability, patience, and willingness to learn.

Can I work full-time?

Yes. Many Sponsor Parents work outside the home. We plan around school hours, appointments, and after-school activities so it is workable.

Is this the same as foster care?

No. Foster care is licensed and administered through DSS. Sponsored Residential is a separate DBHDS-licensed service. Requirements, funding, and training are distinct.

Will I be told the youth's history?

Yes. Before you meet a youth, you receive their clinical history, ISP, behavioral profile, and educational information. Everything you need to make an informed decision.

Can I say no to a proposed placement?

Absolutely. Every placement is by mutual match. If a proposed youth is not the right fit for your home, we move on to the next possibility.

How long is a placement?

It varies. Some youth stay for months while a reunification or step-down plan finalizes. Others stay longer. We share the expected length of stay as part of every match.

Take the next step

Start the conversation.

There is no obligation. The first step is a phone call or an email. We'll take it from there.

Email Us to Get Started Call (757) 573-3191