Foster Care You Can Trust
We believe that children of all ages deserve a loving home and family. For decades, Auberle has been providing high quality foster care services throughout Pennsylvania and is the largest non-kinship foster care provider in Allegheny County. We understand that trust matters. That’s why Auberle prioritizes open communication, hands-on guidance, and real collaboration with foster families. Our work has resulted in a longtime, trusted partnership with Allegheny County Children, Youth & Family Services.
Considering fostering? We'll walk you through every step. Every time.
The process may seem overwhelming—but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Auberle’s team breaks everything down into clear, manageable steps, offering guidance, training, connections, and encouragement from your first question to your first placement. The result? A lasting relationship as transformative as it is loving.
Take the first step today.
Connect with the Placement Team Become a Foster Parent
Questions? We're ready to assist at every stage of your journey. Email BecomeAFosterParent@auberle.org or call us directly at 412-673-1993.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Auberle?
Auberle is a faith-based social services agency headquartered in McKeesport, PA, that has helped build strong individuals, families, and communities for over 75 years. We are the largest non-kinship foster care provider in Allegheny County and a longtime, trusted partner of Allegheny County Children, Youth & Families. Our foster care team is known for open communication, hands-on guidance, and real collaboration with our foster families.
What types of foster care does Auberle offer?
Auberle provides a full continuum of foster care for young people ages 0–21:
- Shelter (emergency) foster care — immediate, temporary care for children who need a safe place right away.
- Traditional foster care — everyday, nurturing care for children with few or no special needs.
- Therapeutic foster care — care for children with greater emotional or behavioral needs, provided by foster parents who complete additional specialized training. Over 40% of our foster families are certified in therapeutic foster care.
- Families can also provide respite care, giving other foster families a short, planned break.
Does Auberle Foster Care cover my area?
Auberle foster parents typically live within about a one-hour drive of our main campus in McKeesport, PA. If you're not sure whether your community falls within our service area, just reach out — we're happy to talk it through.
Where do the children in Auberle's care come from?
Auberle certifies foster parents for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and currently contracts with multiple counties across the state. Children are referred to us through county children and youth agencies and the juvenile court system, most often from Allegheny County and the surrounding region.
What is SWAN? Is Auberle a SWAN affiliate?
Yes! Auberle is a proud affiliate of Pennsylvania's Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN) — a partnership among the Department of Human Services, the Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange, public and private agencies, courts, and foster and adoptive parents that builds a better, more collaborative adoption process in Pennsylvania. Through SWAN, Auberle can certify families for both foster care and adoption and walk with families through the entire permanency journey.
What kinds of families does Auberle welcome?
All kinds! Auberle actively recruits and supports foster parents of all ages, races, gender identities, sexualities, faith traditions, income levels, and abilities. You can be married, single, or partnered. You can rent or own your home. What matters most is a safe, stable, loving environment — and a heart for kids. We want to hear from YOU!
Who can become a foster parent?
In Pennsylvania, foster parents must be at least 21 years old. You'll also need to:
- Pass a medical exam and TB screening showing you are in good health, free of communicable disease, and physically able to care for children.
- Pass background checks — Pennsylvania child abuse, state police criminal history, and FBI fingerprint clearances are required for every household member age 18 or older. (If you've lived outside Pennsylvania in the past five years, out-of-state checks are required, too.)
- Show financial stability — you need a steady source of income independent of foster care payments.
- Have dependable transportation, a valid driver's license, and auto insurance.
- Provide five personal references, at least three of whom are not relatives.
What is the first step to becoming a foster parent?
It's easy — just reach out. Email BecomeAFosterParent@auberle.org, call 412-673-1993, or start your application online using the “Become a Foster Parent” button on this page. A member of our certification team will follow up, answer your questions, and guide you through every step.
What does the certification process look like?
After your initial phone conversation, an Auberle Certification Specialist will visit your home for an interview (you'll have at least two in-home interviews in total, plus a walk-through of your home). Along the way you'll complete an application, background clearances, references, a medical appraisal, and pre-service training. Our team breaks everything into clear, manageable steps — you never have to navigate it alone.
What training is required?
Every prospective foster family completes pre-service training before certification — about 40 hours of preparation covering topics like trauma-informed care, child development, positive parenting, and the child welfare system. After certification, foster parents complete at least 12 hours of training each year (at least six in a live session), as well as CPR/First Aid every two years. Training is offered monthly, and up to six annual hours can be completed through approved outside trainings. Families who wish to provide therapeutic foster care complete an additional specialized curriculum.
What are the requirements for my home?
You don't need a big or fancy house — you need a safe one. Foster children need a bedroom with their own bed, clean bedding, and space for their belongings. Bedrooms must be actual bedrooms (no basements, attics, or shared-use rooms), and children age 5 or older may only share a bedroom with children of the same gender. Homes must also meet basic safety standards, such as working smoke detectors on every level, a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, medications kept locked, and a smoke-free environment. Our team will walk through your home with you and help you get everything ready.
Do I need to own my home?
No. Renters and homeowners alike can foster, as long as the home is safe and has adequate space.
Can I work full-time and still foster?
Yes! Many of our foster parents work traditional hours. School-age children attend school during the day, and appropriate childcare arrangements can be made for younger children — just like in any working family.
The primary goal of foster care is reunification — helping children safely return to their parents or relatives whenever possible. Every child has a permanency plan, and foster parents play a key role by providing stability, supporting family visits, and helping children maintain healthy connections with their birth families. When reunification isn't possible, the plan may shift to kinship care, adoption, or another permanent arrangement.
How long do children stay in a foster home?
It varies. Some placements last only a few days (emergency or respite care), while others last months or even years, depending on each child's circumstances and permanency plan.
Where do foster children go to school?
Pennsylvania's standard is the best interest of the child. When a child is placed in your home, a Best Interest Determination (BID) is made to decide whether the child stays in the school district they attended before entering care or transfers to the district where you live. Whenever possible, children remain in their home school for continuity. Auberle staff will help with registration and paperwork if a school change is needed.
Will I have contact with the child's birth family?
Yes — and it matters. Auberle believes foster parents play a key role in building positive relationships with birth families, which helps reduce fear and anxiety for both the family and the child. Family visits and phone contact are scheduled according to each child's service plan and any court orders, with support from Auberle staff, and we facilitate an early “ice breaker” meeting between the foster family and the child's parents.
Can I say no to a placement?
Yes. Placement decisions are made case by case, and you'll be told what we know about a child before deciding whether the match is right for your family. Saying no to a placement that isn't a good fit is not held against you — good matches are what make placements succeed.
Can foster parents take a break?
Absolutely. Fostering is rewarding, but it's also real work. As a trauma-informed agency, Auberle sees respite care as a critical part of foster parent self-care, and your case manager will help arrange planned respite with another certified Auberle family when you need a break or a vacation.
Can I adopt my foster child?
Sometimes, yes. When a child's permanency goal changes to adoption, Pennsylvania law provides that a foster family who has cared for the child for at least six months may be considered as an adoptive resource. As a SWAN affiliate, Auberle supports families through the entire adoption process. Last year alone, 46 young people found permanency through adoption or permanent legal custodianship with Auberle families.
Foster parenting isn't a job with a salary, but you do receive a per diem payment for each night a child is in your home, paid twice a month by direct deposit. The rate depends on the child's age and level of care and is designed to help cover the child's day-to-day needs — food, clothing, activities, and more. Foster care payments are generally considered a reimbursement rather than taxable income. You'll also be reimbursed for mileage and parking when transporting children to medical and therapy appointments, court, and family visits.
Are the child's medical expenses covered?
Yes. Every child in foster care is provided with medical insurance (typically Medical Assistance/Medicaid), which covers medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health services. Foster parents help schedule and transport children to appointments, and Auberle staff coordinate care every step of the way.
Can a foster child attend daycare?
Yes. As long as the foster parent(s) is/are working full time, daycare will be provided by the county. Foster parents will need to apply for this assistance – Auberle Case Manager’s will walk you through the process!
What support does Auberle provide to foster parents?
You are never on your own. Every family is assigned an Auberle Case Manager as your primary contact, who sees your child at least twice per month — once in your home and once in the community — and is there for coaching, problem-solving, and encouragement. Beyond that, Auberle provides:
- 24/7 on-call support for emergencies and crisis situations. Help is always just a phone call away.
- Regular foster parent support groups and a peer network of experienced foster families.
- Ongoing training, in-home coaching, and connections to therapy, mentoring, and community services.
- Planned respite care when you need a break.
Our 2025 Impact
Auberle is the best foster agency we’ve worked with. The staff is compassionate, helpful, and always provides good communication. I know help is always just a phone call away. — Auberle Foster Parent
- 46 youth found permanency within foster homes through adoption or Permanent Legal Custodianship
- 97% of youth were successfully discharged to permanent homes
- 36% of families have been certified for 3+ years; 10% have fostered with Auberle for over 8 years
- 25 new foster families were certified, a 66% increase from last year
- 91% of foster parents, foster youth, and birth parents are satisfied or highly satisfied with Auberle’s services
- 42% of our foster families are trained and certified in therapeutic foster care
Join Our Foster Care Community
The Thaxtons, an Auberle Foster Care Family, pose with their children.
Auberle's "Love Carries" Foster Care Campaign in partnership with First Lady of Braddock, PA, Giselle Fetterman.
Auberle SWAN Membership
About SWAN
Become a Foster Parent
Consider opening your heart and home to a young person in need. We are here to answer your questions and walk with you every step of the way. Become an Auberle foster parent today!