Rhode Island General Law 14-1-34 requires all prospective foster parents to undergo a nationwide criminal identification check. The state police or local police departments must take fingerprints of foster parent applicants. The law requires that this criminal record check shall be conducted without charge to the applicants.

Please call your local police department or state police office and ask for an appointment to be fingerprinted for the purpose of foster care licensing. Both parents must be fingerprinted. At the time of fingerprinting, you will be given a fingerprinting affidavit, which you will need to return to DCYF with your foster parent application. Please ask the police to send the fingerprinting results directly to DCYF, attn: Maria George, Foster Care Licensing, 101 Friendship Street, 4th Floor, Providence, RI 02903.

If you have any questions, please call Robin Perez at 401-528-3791 or send her an e-mail at Robin.Perez@dcyf.ri.gov.