ABOUT CTS HEALTH Foster Care
Foster Care in Wake County
Every child deserves a safe, stable, and loving environment. In Wake County, FosterCareNC partners with local families to provide care and guidance for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, abandonment, or the temporary loss of their home. We offer comprehensive training, financial support, and 24/7 assistance so you can make a lasting difference in a child’s life.
Foster care offers children a place of safety and stability while their families work toward reunification. In Wake County — including Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Garner, and surrounding communities — there is always a need for dedicated foster parents willing to provide love, patience, and support.
CTSHealth Foster Care works closely with Wake County Health & Human Services and other community organizations to ensure that children are placed in homes that meet their physical, emotional, and developmental needs.
IMPACT NUMBERS
500+
children are in foster care in Wake County at any given time.
50%+
More than 50% of children in care are placed outside their home community due to a shortage of local foster families.
Dozens
Dozens of new foster parents are needed each year to ensure children can remain close to their schools, friends, and support systems.
Our Services
Make a Lasting Difference in a Child's Life
Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC)
Structured foster care for children with mental health and behavioral challenges, with trained foster parents and dedicated clinical support.
Family Foster Care (FFC)
Traditional foster care for children who do not require therapeutic services, providing a stable and nurturing home environment.
Intensive Alternative Family Treatment (IAFT)
Specialized foster care for children with severe behavioral or emotional needs, providing in-home support, therapy, and professional oversight.
Enhanced Therapeutic Foster Care (ETFC)
Short-term emergency foster care for children needing immediate placement, with professional training and oversight for foster families.
Rapid Response Service
Emergency foster care placements for children in crisis, offering up to two months of stability with specialized behavioral support.
EMERGENCY RESPITE
Offers short-term, emergency placements for foster children through a contract with DSS, providing immediate support for families in urgent situations.
OUR Partners
We believe every client is a valuable partner.
Testimonials
I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your foster parents. They have been the caretakers of our youth. Prior to coming to them, our youth had experienced a great deal of trauma and neglect. He was left with a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. He struggled to be accepted and accept love. He had poor coping mechanisms, anxiety, and unaddressed needs. Since being placed in your foster home, he has had a complete change in behavior. He now uses manners and is respectful. He is more likely to accept that he is loved and wanted and does not behave as if he has to fight for every moment of attention. He has received proper medical care, started med management, therapy, and received an autism evaluation where he was properly diagnosed. During his placement, the foster family went out of their way to include him in their family and to support shared-parenting with the mother, and step-father. The mother informed me on multiple occasions that she was able to speak to the foster mom easily and work with her to help her son. The foster family communicated well and worked very hard to help not only this child, but his family. It has been a blessing working with them. Thank you for using such fine, quality people as your family to help our children and their families.
North Carolina DSS Social Worker
testimonials
I wanted to pass along compliments I received about Esmeralda and the licensing team. A few of the FP’s that I referred to mentioned to me how professional, knowledgeable, and passionate Esmeralda is. They stated she is very easy to talk to and has a calm spirit about her. A few of them also mentioned that the entire licensing team at CTS are very helpful and professional. I was very pleased to hear families speak so highly about the licensing team and wanted to thank you all for the great work and support you are providing our families.
Foster Parent In Training
testimonials
I knew whatever gift I was going to bring to my family that I was going to change their life. I had no idea that my life was going to also be forever changed. When I received my first gift, there were nights I cried myself to sleep. A wise woman, my mother told me “this was the hardest gift I would ever be responsible for.” “Failure is not an option and quitters never win and winners never quit.” So I refused to give up on my gift/him. Thank God for the support team I have at CTS. My gift is now in college!