Frequently asked question about Lifeway for Youth, foster care, and being a foster parent:

1. What sort of organization is Lifeway For Youth?

Lifeway is a private non-profit therapeutic foster care agency - placing youth in foster homes within our network.

2. How long have you been providing services? What are your origins?

Lifeway began in 1994 in Springfield, Ohio as an extension of the ministry of our Executive Director, Dr. Michael Berner and the church he pastors, Grace Fellowship Church. Mike’s original plan was to provide quality service for 10 to 12 children within the area, and to do it well. However, the demand for foster care was so great that Lifeway has continued to grow to fill this need.

3. Where are you located?

Lifeway’s corporate office is located in Dayton, Ohio.  Lifeway has other regional offices that serve different regions in two different states.  To view that areas that we serve please visit our Offices & Contacts page.

4. What is therapeutic foster care? What age children do you typically place?

Unlike traditional foster care which cares for children who might be orphaned or abandoned, therapeutic foster care involves youth who have been severely abused and neglected by their biological families, and have been removed. Because of the issues these children have as a result of their treatment in their biological homes, therapeutic level foster care must provide intensive services and supports to help them regain stability and construct positive futures for themselves. Lifeway typically works with youth between the ages of 10 – 18. We do occasionally have younger children, but for younger children to be placed in therapeutic level care, they must have dramatically severe needs. We do place parenting teens and their babies through our agency.

5. What sorts of issues do your foster children face? What are their lives like?

Clearly, children who have been abused or neglected by their families to the degree that they must be removed from their homes for their safety will have insecurity, anger and mistrust toward adults and the world in general. Often children have specific psychological diagnoses requiring medication and counseling. All of them need positive, non-threatening attention from firm, caring adults. Many of the children we serve have sexual abuse history, mental retardation or medical fragility and need specially trained foster parents to help them reach the milestones of their typically developing peers. What are their lives like? Many are far behind academically because of their family life and attending a strange school in a foster placement will be a frightening thing. Many act out to avoid showing their inability and insecurity, and make things even worse for themselves. Because the very persons they expected to trust have hurt them, many are unable to form attachments to new caregivers, no matter how loving the family. Even in the best placements, moving in with strangers, learning new family expectations and routines and interacting with the family members would be frightening. Most have no experience in how to get along in a healthy family situation. These children feel, and rightly so, that they have no control over their lives - they don’t know what might happen to them next. The really surprising thing is how many children survive – not only survive but succeed against these odds! We have several former foster children who are now foster parents with Lifeway and are dedicated to sticking with even the most oppositional child because they understand what they are fighting inside themselves.

6. How do you get these children? Can anybody make a referral? What happens then?

No, private individuals don’t request placements; county Departments of Human Services investigate and remove those children in unsafe family situations. Children with severe issues like those we mentioned might be referred to Lifeway to see if we have a suitable home. Sometimes we place children from the Juvenile Justice system, but most of our placements come from the county agencies. Most of the time, we keep children in their general area but sometimes we are requested to move a child out of his county. After the county notifies Lifeway that they have a child who needs a home, Lifeway identifies those foster homes within our system which would provide a good match for the child and his strengths and needs. We try to find parents who have experience in the child’s particular situation, and evaluate the mix of children currently in the home, both for their safety and the new child’s. When we determine a good placement match, we discuss the child’s history with the foster parent and allow him to decide if he can handle the child. At that point, with the approval of the county, the child is placed in the new home.

7. How many children in Ohio are removed from their homes?

How big is this problem? In the state of Ohio in 1997, there were 105,727 investigations of abuse and neglect. Of that number, 32,643 were removed to out-of-home care. At a population of about 3,000,000 children under 18 in that same year, that’s almost 11% of the children in Ohio who were removed from abusive or neglectful homes. That’s almost 90 children per day! Of course – even 1 child is too many.

8. What sorts of people foster parent? Is this a “job” – isn’t being a foster parent very involved?

All sorts of people chose to help children by foster parenting. There is no one set of characteristics we look for but the home and parents must meet the state regulations. Our Licensing Specialist will guide you through the process. We need parents from all walks of life so that we have a variety of homes to match children to. Lifeway treats foster parents as professionals; the parents sign a contract for each child placed in their home so that they know what Lifeway and the placing agency expects of them. And yes, it can be hard being a foster parent and helping children through their past traumas but Lifeway’s staff provides great support for their parents.

9. What compensation do they receive? Are they trained on how to respond to the issues of therapeutic foster care?

Lifeway recognizes that being a good foster parent is a 24-hour, 7-day per week job and Lifeway offers compensation generally beginning at $30 per day. Different cases might be slightly higher or lower but parents will know the rate when the case is presented. From this compensation, the parents provide the foster child’s needs and cover his fees and costs of his social activities. The state requires preservice training and ongoing training during the tenure of the foster parent. Lifeway offers this training on topics that the foster parent will find helpful in handling difficult situations. Again, Lifeway’s case management staff and crisis intervention specialist will help the parent know how to respond to specific issues.

10. How does a person go about becoming a foster parent? Do you need additional foster parents?

Yes! We need quality foster parents from all areas and walks of life. Single persons or married couples are both considered as long as they pass state requirements. To be a foster parent, contact one of Lifeway’s offices nearest you. Contact numbers are here.

11. What positions might you have available within your agency for employment?

Lifeway is currently accepting resumes from degreed staff for case management positions – we need LSWs at this time. Other positions may become available as we grow; we always welcome applicants. You can find out more information by e-mail or phone at the following:

937-845-3625 or email