Our History


The Texas Foster Family Association was formed by a coalition of dedicated and energetic foster parent advocates from Dallas and Houston in 1974 with the assistance of the Texas Department of Human Services. The first organizational meeting and annual training conference was held in Houston during that same year.

The association was known as Texas State Foster Parents, Inc. (TSFPI) at that time and later adopted its new name the Texas Foster Family Association (TFFA) in 2003. While the original name was retained as the legally incorporated name, the "dba" (doing business as) name of Texas Foster Family Association now represents the association in the public arena.

For nearly five decades TFFA has focused on protecting children by working to progressively improve the Texas Foster Care system to ensure provision of the supports and services needed by the children in foster care and the foster families who so diligently serve them twentyfour hours a day, every day.

Currently


TFFA is governed by an elected Board of Directors that meet three times a year, with the Executive Committee meeting bimonthly, three in conjunction with the full Board of Directors meetings. Agency staff from all CPS regions as well as staff representatives from private child placing agencies meet with the Board and provide information, advice and leadership. All of these meetings are open to attendance by foster parents and staff. You are welcome to attend and learn about the day to day work of the association.

TFFA membership and participation is open to all Texas foster parents and staff both public and private and any groups or individuals interested in positively impacting the foster care system in the state. TFFA is living proof that the public and private sectors can work very effectively together to provide the latest and best information, training and advocacy efforts to Texas foster families and the staff who work with them.

TFFA has held an annual training conference every year since 1974 and the conference continues to offer relevant training topics to meet current needs of children in foster care.

TFFA holds its annual Membership meeting during each conference. Please mark your calendars for the next conference and register early. Attendance during each training workshop session will provide hours of relevant training that meets licensing requirements. You will find the dates and location of the next conference elsewhere on this website.

Our Main Goal


To encourage the recruitment and retention of foster parents committed to providing quality family care to children in need from abuse and/or neglect.

Our Mission


Motivating, Educating and Supporting Foster /Adoptive/Kinship Families in Texas.

Our Accomplishments

  • TFFA is a statewide association that makes it possible for all verified foster families to be informed and educated while working to ensure provision of necessary support systems identified by foster parents. 
  • TFFA has the reputation of being an informed and respected voice in matters relative to the child protection system in Texas. The diligent protection of this reputation has afforded the opportunity to positively impact the plight of children in foster care in the Texas. 
  • TFFA has many successful advocacy efforts to include passage of laws which severely limit the amount of time that a child will remain in care before a permanency plan is developed, tuition free college for children who graduate high school while in care, aggressive reforms governing the role of Attorneys Ad Litem, excused absences from school when children must attend court related activities, improved standing for foster parents in court, a law that requires written notification to foster parents of all court related activities and the right to be heard in such activities, etc. 
  • TFFA maintains ongoing dialogue with Texas Legislative Committees that directly impact the foster care system of Texas and has the reputation of providing clear and meaningful testimony to said committees and their staff. 
  • TFFA maintains positive ongoing dialogue with regional and state office managers for DFPS that leads to inclusion on many committees and work groups working on systems changes, minimum standards revisions, policy changes, etc. 
  • TFFA leadership actively participates with or serves on many other state advocacy groups that work to improve the Texas child welfare system to include the child protective services system. 
  • TFFA leadership is active on the national level by serving on the Boards of Directors of the National Foster Parent Association and the Foster Familybased Treatment Association and participates on the NFPA Council of State Affiliates.