Become a foster parent in Roanoke, VA
Fill out our intake form to get started, and our foster parent advocate will be in touch to answer all your questions about fostering a child!
Or give us a call to get started over the phone, and help us find a safe home for a foster child in Roanoke .
About Roanoke
In September, 2023, Roanoke City had the most children in foster care of any region in Virginia. Consider helping a child in need - become a foster parent! Roanoke is an ideal place to raise a family; the beautiful neighborhoods, incredible outdoor attractions, and low cost of living are just some of the highlights of this growing city. There are over twenty five colleges and universities within an hour of Roanoke, and this city even has a thriving cultural scene for art and music.
Roanoke is close to the Blue Ridge mountains, where you can find numerous trails for hiking or mountain biking. With abundant parks, over 30 miles of greenway, and 24 schools (elementary, middle and high school), Roanoke is a great place to become a foster parent. Whether you want to know more about the process, or want to get started right away, we can help.
Why Choose FosterVA
FosterVA is a campaign started by Extra Special Parents (a licensed child placing agency) to raise awareness of Virginia’s need for great foster families, especially in Roanoke . Great foster parents make a difference in a youth’s ability to develop resiliency, which allows them to survive and thrive with the right support.
We have a support group that meets monthly for all foster families and respite care for yourself. Our support includes Individual clinical case managers and a crisis line manned 24/7/365. These tried and tested systems are put in place to ensure you and the child are supported during this journey as a foster parent.
Can I foster a child in Roanoke ?
Find out if you qualify to become a foster parent! Becoming a foster parent is a challenging and enriching experience for you and all family members. You can make a huge difference and change a child's life for the better, especially for sibling groups and older children in foster care programs. If you care about children and want to help them, fostering a child is an extraordinary calling.
Children in the foster care system have been through traumatic experiences. They need a loving home to help them recover and thrive. Providing a home for a child can be heartwarming and beautiful when you start to see them succeed in your care. If you have the heart and a home for a child in Roanoke , VA please contact us to learn more about our process.
Our parents come from all works of life, and your work and life experience will enhance what you bring to being a foster parent. So please never think that your life experience is unsuitable for a child in foster care, with nearly 5000 kids in the Virginia Department of social services care. We will find a child that will be great for you or your family.
Start the process today to become a Foster Parent
Family Friendly Events and Places of Interest
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve is the second largest municipal park in the nation. It holds a major water source within its 12,700 acres and overflowing recreational opportunities including hiking, biking, fishing, and boat rentals. The cove includes 11,363 acres that are protected by the largest conservation easement in Virginia’s history.
Center in the Square
Adjacent to Market Square and the City Market, Center in the Square provides a home to four cultural arts and science non-profit organizations in our signature building in downtown Roanoke: Roanoke Pinball Museum, Harrison Museum of African American Culture, History Museum of Western Virginia, Science Museum of Western Virginia, and Mill Mountain Theatre. Visit our website or call for individual museum admission pricing. Mill Mountain Theatre and Children's Theatre of Roanoke tickets are available through our full-service box office. Come inside to enjoy our aquariums in the atrium and green rooftop without charge. Building Hours: Monday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, and Sunday 1 - 5 pm. [Note: Roanoke Pinball Museum is closed Mondays. History Museum is closed on Mondays October through April.]
Green Ridge Recreation Center & Splash Valley Water Park
Designed with family fun in mind, Green Ridge offers two great attractions in one convenient location! The indoor center is open year round, featuring family friendly activities like swimming, interactive games, a gymnasium and fitness area. Splash Valley Water Park is an outdoor aquatics area open Memorial Day to Labor Day, featuring two 34-foot high slides, a sprayground and a current river. Daily admission is available to either facility.
Historic Roanoke City Maket
Explore the Historic Roanoke City Market, a cornerstone of downtown Roanoke and one of the oldest continuously operating public markets in the United States. Established in the late 1800s, this vibrant marketplace combines rich history with modern charm, making it a top destination for both locals and tourists.
Mill Mountain Star & Park
A "must see" on most visitors list, an 88-foot manmade star (the largest in the world) sits on majestic Mill Mountain along with a beautifully landscaped city park, that boasts hiking and biking trails, and a zoo.
Mill Mountain Zoo
Mill Mountain Zoo is currently home to more than 183 animals, representing 70 species from around the world. Through our admissions and donations, we support local and global conservation efforts
O. Winston Link Museum
The Roanoke History Museum, the O. Winston Link Museum and the Historical Society of Western Virginia shall preserve, interpret and promote the history of the Roanoke region; collect, preserve, interpret, and make available materials relating to that history; sponsor research and publication in the field of regional history, and provide educational services to people and institutions throughout southwestern Virginia.
Science Museum of Western Virginia & Hopkins Planetarium
In January of 1970, the Science Museum of Western Virginia became the first science museum in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was chartered by a group of local teachers and volunteers who identified the need for an informal education facility to help students learn about science away from the structured setting of the school classroom. Local school principals permitted their teachers paid release time to develop curriculum materials that incorporated museum exhibits and programs into the schools’ classroom instruction.In January of 1970, the Science Museum of Western Virginia became the first science museum in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was chartered by a group of local teachers and volunteers who identified the need for an informal education facility to help students learn about science away from the structured setting of the school classroom. Local school principals permitted their teachers paid release time to develop curriculum materials that incorporated museum exhibits and programs into the schools’ classroom instruction.
Taubman Museum
The Taubman Museum of Art is part of the lively metro mountain mix of arts, culture, and outdoor fun in the heart of downtown Roanoke, Virginia.
