Foster Homes Needed
Kentucky faces a growing need for foster families. According to Child Protective Services, more than 8,000 children are currently in foster care across the state.
In Jefferson County, local agencies have joined together to form the Jefferson County Foster Care Recruitment Collaboration. This partnership was created to make it easier for families like yours to explore each agency and discover the best fit.
After learning about Operation Open Arms, we encourage you to visit the JCFCRC website to explore additional agencies and opportunities. The need is great—now is the time to get involved.
Operation Open Arms
Opportunities to Get Involved
Operation Open Arms partners with families in our community to provide safe, loving, and supportive homes for children in need. We understand that while many families feel called to help, the idea of a long-term commitment can feel overwhelming. That’s why we offer a step-in approach, giving families the chance to get involved through a variety of programs and find the path that feels right for them.
2-7 Day Foster Placement
Sometimes foster families need a short break. In these situations, Operation Open Arms turns to other certified families who can provide temporary care for a child already in OOA services. These short-term placements may last just a weekend or a few days, offering both support to foster families and stability for the child.
10-30 Day Foster Placement
Our recovery program provides support for mothers in treatment and temporary homes for their children while they begin their recovery journey in Kentucky. Certified and trained foster families open their homes to care for children as mothers complete the first step of their program—whether that’s a medical detox (up to 10 days) or a 30-day inpatient program.
These same families often continue as respite caregivers for up to two years, offering ongoing stability for the child and vital support for the mother as she works toward lasting recovery.
3 to 6 month Foster Placement
Our recovery program supports mothers in treatment by providing temporary homes for their children. In some cases, recovery programs may take three to six months. During this time, certified and trained foster families care for the child while the mother focuses on her program. These families also provide visitation and parent-child bonding opportunities as outlined by the agency, helping to strengthen the mother-child relationship throughout the recovery process.
Long Term Foster Care Placements
Our incarceration support program provides children of incarcerated mothers with safe, stable, and loving temporary homes while their mothers are away. Certified and trained foster families commit to caring for these children for the duration of the mother’s sentence—often several years—while we work alongside the mothers to nurture and restore their relationships with their children.
Operation Open Arms
Certification Process
Becoming a certified and trained foster home follows the same process across all of our programs. This allows families to choose the path that feels right for them—whether starting slowly with respite care or short-term placements, or beginning right away with long-term care. No matter your journey, our agency provides the same thorough assessment and training process to prepare you for fostering.
The first step is a home study assessment. Required documentation is available on our website, and our office staff are here to guide you through the process. For simplicity and confidentiality, we ask that completed documents be submitted through a personalized Dropbox. Once all paperwork is received, a social worker in your area will be assigned to conduct assessments, interviews, and a home inspection. If your home is approved, we celebrate this milestone with you and begin your training.
Operation Open Arms provides over 30 hours of training—including virtual sessions, videos, readings, and in-person classes—to prepare you for your first placement. We also offer ongoing training and support through monthly sessions, support groups, and family gatherings. Continued training is not only encouraged but required, ensuring you always feel supported and equipped in your fostering journey.
How Prepared Does my Home
Need To Be?
Thanks to the generous support of our community donors, Operation Open Arms is able to provide a Kids Clothes Closet for children in foster care. When a child enters OOA care, they receive essentials of their own—a bed, mattress, car seat, clothing, and luggage—that they keep.
If a child remains in care for several years, their items such as bedding or car seats are exchanged as they grow to ensure everything remains age-appropriate. Foster families are also welcome to use the clothing shop as children’s needs change.
This approach ensures that every child enters care with belongings that are truly theirs and leaves care with those same items—or upgraded ones—providing comfort, dignity, and stability. It also means foster families do not need to supply items such as a bed, bedding, or car seat in order to welcome a child.
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