Foster parents are confronted with a myriad of challenges and responsibilities in the foster care system. Therefore, it is essential for foster family agencies to provide comprehensive training and support to the foster parents they certify. The purpose of this study was to conduct a needs assessment of foster parents certified with a specific foster family agency in Southern California, with the intention of identifying and delineating specific needs foster parents report essential to better serve the children in their care. A survey research method was used so as to describe and identify the various characteristics, skills, and perceptions of the foster parents. The number of foster parents who volunteered to complete the survey was 29 out of 63 eligible households (response rate of 46%). Results of this investigation indicated that foster parents believed providing love and nurturance, safety, support, and guidance and discipline; building a child's selfconfidence; scheduling medical/dental appointments; and responding to emergencies at school were their most important responsibilities. Foster parents reported satisfaction from observing positive changes in the children placed in their homes and seeing the children reunify with their biological parents; they also felt they could call on the social worker when needed. The majority of foster parents were satisfied with the children placed in their home and had no reservations about continuing to foster children. No significant amount of conflicts and stressors were identified. The most endorsed reasons for fostering included providing a home for children in need and making a difference in a child's life. There appeared to be some variability on how different subsets of foster parents viewed their fostering responsibilities. Support networks that were valued included church and spiritual community as well as family and friends. The major reason for a child to be removed from the foster home was for destructive and severe behavior problems. Factors that may have prevented the removal included receiving more information about the child when placed and providing more intensive treatment. Recommendations were then provided to the agency to more effectively support the foster parents and better assist the children they serve.