Track detailed referral information for new inquiries

About this recommendation

When filling out a foster family inquiry form, most people default to saying they heard about fostering “from the website” or “online.” However, further questioning reveals they were really exposed through an event at their church, a family connection, a radio commercial, or other experience.

By capturing detailed information about how new foster families were referred to your agency, you can focus on the highest-yield recruitment methods and avoid accidentally stopping methods that were, in fact, successfully recruiting families.

How to do this

• Add to your inquiry forms a list of possible events, marketing materials, or other recruitment methods that someone may have been exposed to, and ask which ones interested the person completing the inquiry.
• Make sure you have “Other” on your list as well, with a space to freely enter text. Encourage detail by labeling this field “Other (please be specific).
• In initial phone calls, ask probing questions about how a family became interested in fostering. Add these details to a central location (like a shared spreadsheet) that can later be tracked.

Anticipated costs and benefits

Who's doing this

2 of 54 states and territories have implemented this recommendation.

• Frederick County, MD asks interested families to specify in detail how they became interested in fostering, and asks them to indicate on their inquiry form all the places where they heard about fostering. This helped them realize that ValPack mailers were actually reaching a lot of families.
• Fairfax County, VA does not ask for referral information on its inquiry form, instead asking in the initial orientation phone call. They report that this provides richer and more detailed answers than a form. For instance, if a family says they heard about fostering on their website, staff can ask how they go to the website or if there was something in particular that caught their attention.