You can help change one child's life today – you have what it takes. Let's do this!
FosterVA is a campaign launched by Extra Special Parents (a licensed child-placing agency) to raise awareness of Virginia’s need for great foster families. Great foster parents make a difference in a youth’s ability to develop resiliency, enabling them to survive and thrive with proper support.
Great foster parents provide a safe, stable environment where our youth can flourish. Where our youth flourish. Extra Special Parents takes the role of certifying foster parents seriously. So we spend one-on-one time getting to know our families, provide strength-based parent training, and have a trauma-aware understanding of the youth that may come into your home.
As of November 2025, there are over 5,746 children in foster care in the Commonwealth of Virginia who need a loving family until they can return to their own, and 1,726 children waiting to find their forever family through adoption. Due to the large number of children in foster care in Virginia, local social services departments have approved some agencies to assist in placing foster children in loving homes.
All licensed child-placing agencies have knowledgeable teams and are ready to help you create a loving, caring home for a child, with or without special needs. Making sure that you and your child are matched well is extremely important to us all. When you begin your fostering journey, ensuring you have the right fit with a licensed child-placing agency is essential to your success as a foster parent.
Extra Special Parents goes the extra mile to provide you with the support, guidance, and education needed to be successful.
Change a Life YOURS!
When you are ready to call us at 1 (866) 597-9292 or fill out a form, you will have chosen to help fix foster care one child at a time; that's all we can ask of you.
We know all children in Foster care did not make a choice to be taken by the Department of Social Services DSS and removed from their families. Still, it happened, and now they need a bed to sleep in, an adult to care for them, and an opportunity to live a full and fantastic life.
With you, guidance and support a child with trauma and pain will find their feet again and start to grow into a tremendous person.
Foster Parent training and support within a Treatment Foster Care (TFC) agency
Training is offered to all individuals interested in becoming foster parents. This training provides information on strength-based parenting, Virginia's foster care system, trauma-informed care, behavior management, and other essential topics.
When becoming a treatment foster care parent, you will also be provided with monthly training and support groups that cover various parenting and foster care topics.
On Call to Help!
Our crisis line helps the parent(s) and child in case of an emergency. This line is open 24/7. We know events can occur at any time of day, and we are ready to assist you when you need us most.
How to foster or adopt a child to make a real difference
Consider the dramatic positive impact you can have on thousands of people by caring for one abused or neglected child. By helping a child to make positive changes in their life, you help them to become a stronger person, a better parent, a better neighbor, and a better member of society. Choosing to foster a child will help change the world.
People commonly say, "I could never foster children because I wouldn't be able to let them go.” We all try to guard our hearts against hurt, but children need the love and safety of caring adults more than we need to protect our feelings. Do not be so afraid of grief that it stops you from changing a child's life. Choose to foster or adopt, and focus on the positive impact you will leave on your community and this world. The self-esteem and purpose this builds in your life will far outweigh the challenges you face in the process.
Now that you’re ready to become a foster parent, here's what you need to do:
Click the link and complete the provided form. One of our Family Services Advocates will call you shortly to answer any questions you have.
Fostering or adopting, we want to help you
Do you want to adopt a child? Extra Special Parents can help you fulfill your dream. Our team is dedicated to connecting you with resources to positively transform a child’s life, forever changing their trajectory. All you have to do to get started is pick up the phone and we will guide you. We'll help find you an agency, such as FosterVA or Extra Special Parents, to make your dream come true!
How We Are Changing the Adoption Landscape in Virginia
Every child deserves more than temporary care; they deserve permanence, security, and a family that will walk with them for life. At FosterVA, we believe adoption is not the end of a foster journey, but it is the fulfillment of it. That belief is what drives everything we do as we work to reshape the adoption landscape across Virginia.
For too long, foster and adoptive families have felt overwhelmed, unsupported, and unsure of where to turn for honest guidance. We exist to change that. At FosterVA, we walk beside you from your very first question through placement, permanency, and beyond. Our model is built on long-term support, trauma-informed care, and genuine relationships, not just paperwork and checklists.
We know adoption begins with courage. It means opening your heart without knowing every outcome. It means choosing commitment even when the road feels uncertain. We also know it requires preparation, community, and unwavering support. That is why we surround our families with training, clinical resources, peer support, and ongoing advocacy. You are never expected to navigate this journey alone.
Every child who enters foster care carries a story shaped by loss, disruption, and resiliency. Adoption offers the chance for that story to turn toward healing, belonging, and identity. When you choose to adopt through FosterVA and Extra Special Parents, you are not only changing one child's life, you are strengthening families, communities, and the future of Virginia.
What sets us apart is simple: we stay. We stay when behaviors are problematic. We stay when questions feel overwhelming. We remain long after finalization, because the real work of family continues long after the papers are signed. Our families do not just adopt a child; they join a community built on trust, experience, and shared purpose.
If you have ever felt the quiet pull to do something bigger than yourself, adoption may be that calling. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to have all the answers. You need the willingness to love with patience, consistency, and hope.
At FosterVA, we are changing the adoption landscape by building families that last. And we would be honored to walk this journey with you.
Foster Today!
We have made the process simple so you can easily become the family that a child needs. We are here to help you determine whether fostering is for you by guiding you through this rewarding process.
Family Services Advocate
Your Family Services Advocate is your partner in this journey to becoming a foster parent. Their primary role is to educate you about the process of becoming a foster parent and to answer any questions you may have along the way. They are there to guide you step by step, encourage you, and provide any additional support you may need.
Once you become an approved foster parent with Extra Special Parents, your Family Service Advocate will remain by your side. They will be there to support you through your very first placement and all future placements. They are there to help you reach your personal and family goals and make this process as easy as possible for you.