Policies in Kentucky

Data-driven foster parent recruitment and retention

Kentucky’s diligent recruitment plan states that the agency is moving toward a performance-based system of procurement to reduce congregate care use, increase therapeutic foster care and expedite reunification. The agency produces a monthly diligent recruitment report that includes data drawn from the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) and Worker’s Information System broken down by county and region. The agency created a statewide template containing data on child and foster home demographics for use by regions to plan recruitment and retention activities. Regions submit semi-annual diligent recruitment plans and monitor progress quarterly.

See Kentucky's diligent recruitment plan for more information.

Kentucky Statewide Diligent Recruitment Steering Committee


In 2018, the committee launched workgroups dedicated to retention, targeted recruitment, general recruitment, training, respite and data. The committee recommended a number of recruitment strategies, including engaging youth and foster parents in recruitment and training, and identified the need for a statewide foster care brand.

See Kentucky's diligent recruitment plan for more information.

Foster Parent & Kinship Support Programs

In Kentucky, the Foster Parent Mentor Program is a partnership with the University Training Consortium and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) that matches newly approved foster parents with experienced caregivers for their first six months of service. The Foster and Adoptive Parent Training Support Network run by Murray State University has 15 teams of experienced foster parents who provide peer support and training. The state agency also partners with the University of Kentucky to operate the Kinship Information, Navigation and Support (KY-KINS) program.

See Kentucky's diligent recruitment plan for more information.

Agency Partners with Foster Youth and Foster Parents

Kentucky engages members of Voices of the Commonwealth, a foster youth advisory group coordinated by Murray State University, to share their experiences to raise awareness and aid recruitment and training. Fostering Futures, an initiative of the Kentucky Foster and Adoptive Care Association sponsored by the state agency, serves as a united voice to advocate for children in care and the families that serve them. Western Kentucky University (WKU) and the University of Kentucky have both conducted surveys of foster parents. The WKU survey found that foster parents were generally more satisfied with private agencies than with the public agency. The UK survey queried foster parents about their experiences caring for children exposed to trauma.

See Kentucky's diligent recruitment plan for more information.