Digitizing the Foster Family Application Process

Many agencies continue to rely on paper-based forms during the foster family application process, often requiring foster parents to fill out dozens of forms with the same information. This reliance on paper has several downsides:

• Requires a physical handoff of paperwork either in person or via postal mail
• Increases the potential for lost or misplaced forms and release of sensitive personal information
• Necessitates duplicate data entry when information needs to be copied from a physical form to a database, spreadsheet or needs to be scanned or faxed elsewhere. 
• For applicants, the sheer volume of paperwork can be overwhelming, especially if redundant.

Digitizing forms reduces the burden on caseworkers and applicants. Caseworkers no longer have to physically retrieve or transcribe documents, expediting the review and approval process. Applicants can fill out forms faster from electronic devices without needing to mail in or keep track of stacks of papers. 

Along with saving time for everyone involved, electronic forms are also a great user experience for foster family applicants. As agencies work to recruit new foster families, many applicants will expect and prefer to use their mobile devices or computers to fill out forms. By reducing the friction involved in the typical foster family licensing process, agencies can attract foster families who may have been overwhelmed by a paper-driven process.

Along with physical forms, many agencies rely on physical signatures as well, which have many of the same downsides. Digital forms alone can’t solve the requirement of having a non-typed signature on a document, but e-signatures are a great solution to speed up the foster licensing process and are recognized by the Federal Government as being valid and authoritative as physical signatures. 

Integrating digital forms with e-signatures allows applicants to use their own devices to sign documents and complete forms without scanning, emailing, or faxing documents. Caseworkers can capture signatures in the field on phones, tablets, or computers without needing to scan or upload physical documents once they get back to the office.

Although it’s ideal for digitizing all forms and paperwork during the licensing process, it’s not always possible. That shouldn’t mean licensing caseworkers are forced to lug around overstuffed physical file folders from office to car to home just to get the information they need. With electronic attachments and a digital filing system, any physical forms relating to an application can be scanned or photographed, then uploaded and stored in an electronic record. 

This allows anyone at the organization to access the same data from anywhere without wasting time searching through physical file folders or trying to remember if a document was completed. Centralized attachment and document storage will lessen the burden on caseworkers and provide a much more satisfying search and retrieval experience.