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Pursuing Fostering

Get Equipped - Classes


Foster Care 101

This class is designed to provide information about Foster Care within our 4-county area and create connections between Austin Ridge families: currently fostering, pursuing foster care or looking to serve as a supporting role.

Click here to learn about upcoming Foster Care classes.


Foster Care 102

This 4-week class is designed to help you get ready for what to expect when fostering, identify what you need to learn, and teach you how to prepare a supportive community for your family. We will work through the Make Ready Workbook in this class.

What is the Make Ready Workbook?

The Make Ready e-book is divided into four classes: one introductory meeting, and three classes that address significant factors to a person’s success as a foster or adoptive parent.

  1. Motivations & Expectations
    This section explores your motivation to foster and adopt, as well as expectations that may affect how you parent this child.
  2. Parenting a Child from a Hard Place
    This section provides different styles and strategies of parenting that are helpful in parenting a child who has come from a hard place.
  3. Building a Community of Support
    This section will guide you in building a support team and encourage your family and friends to better understand why you have chosen to foster or adopt.

Click here to learn about upcoming Foster Care classes.


Checklist and Expectations

Download our "Get Ahead" checklist.


Orientation Process

Learn more about the foster care orientation process.


Questions to Ask an Agency

Download a list of questions to prepare.


Steps in Foster Care

Click here for additional information from Fostering Hope.

Have Questions?

  • Clark Richardson

    Missions Director

    All Campuses

    Clark Richardson

    Missions Director

    All Campuses

    Clark is a Waco native and a Dallas Baptist University graduate. His non-traditional college and career track within the landscape industry and fundraising/development unknowingly prepared him for such a time as this. Over a number of trips to Uganda, God opened his eyes to how he could use his gifts and talents both locally and globally for the Kingdom. That led him to put his “yes” on the table in 2016, and the rest is history. He married up when landing his beautiful wife, Natalie, in 2010, and they have three children, Graham, Isla, and Cora. He is a jack of all trades and master of none. He enjoys being a dad of three, and when there is time, hunting, sports, dabbling with smoking meat, and campfires.