Eligibility and home

California resource family requirements, without the myths

California evaluates the whole caregiving environment: applicants, other adults, relationships, history, training, home safety, capacity, and willingness to meet each child's needs. This checklist prepares questions; the current RFA forms and your worker control.

California onlySource reviewed July 21, 2026General information, not legal advice

What is assessed

Three connected parts of readiness

Applicant and household

Each applicant is an adult; other adults who reside or are regularly present in the home are part of the applicable assessment.
The Written Directives state that there is no minimum income requirement, while legal and financial responsibilities are still discussed.
Applicants must show the ability and willingness to provide safe, stable, nurturing care and use available supports.
The assessment includes household relationships, support, parenting knowledge, motivation, risk, culture, identity, and permanency readiness.

Background and disclosure

The approving organization completes the required criminal record, child abuse index, and child welfare history review.
Some convictions cannot be exempted; other history may qualify for an exemption or individualized review.
A public summary cannot determine whether a specific record is exemptible or how a county will evaluate rehabilitation.
Answer each disclosure question completely and ask the agency before assuming that an old record ends the process.

Caregiving capacity

Applicants prepare to protect personal rights, support family and tribal connections, and follow the child's case and permanency plan.
The family identifies practical capacity: number and ages, bedrooms, transportation, schedules, child care, health, and support network.
Approval can include capacity limits, conditions, or child-specific terms based on the completed assessment.
Approval never guarantees that a child will be placed or remain in the home.

Home walkthrough

Prepare with RFA-03—not a social-media checklist

Open current CDSS forms

The current RFA-03 Resource Family Home Health and Safety Assessment Checklist is the practical starting point. The categories below are planning prompts, not a substitute for that form or the worker's inspection.

Safe building, grounds, exits, utilities, lighting, temperature, and sanitation
Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and an emergency and evacuation plan
Age-appropriate sleeping arrangements, beds, privacy, and approved capacity
Secure storage for medications, cleaning products, toxins, tools, weapons, and ammunition
Water safety for pools, spas, ponds, and other bodies of water
Safe food storage, bathroom access, telephones or communication, and transportation
Assessment of animals, smoking, secondhand smoke, and other household safety conditions
Any documented alternative plan approved by the assessing organization

Nondiscrimination and inclusion

California requires nondiscrimination in RFA and evaluates willingness to meet a child's needs regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Culture, race, language, religion, disability, family, and tribal connections are part of child-centered preparation.

Staying in compliance

Keep training and CPR/first aid records current; report address, household, and other material changes; cooperate with monitoring and updates; maintain home standards; document incidents; and ask before making assumptions about a child's case or your approval terms.