Every state’s laws related to foster parenting vary slightly. But each county’s interpretations and guidelines vary widely.

In my state the law says “All children residing in the foster home must be currently immunized against any communicable and contagious disease” but also says “the administrator [...] may, on a case-by-case basis, waive a specific requirement of this chapter if the waiver is for the betterment of the foster care program and child and is not in violation of any statute of this state or federal law.”

Thus, if the need for infant care was great enough and the biases against families who didn’t vaccinate were few enough, some families like yours could become licensed foster homes. I could see that happening in certain counties more than in others.

I'm so frustrated with how many people assume that since they met one vegan who does things one way that all vegans feel the same way. That's what happened when were were looking for pediatricians; all the doctors reacted with questions and comments about vaccines, which I found surprising because I never brought up vaccines and I specifically chose not to bring up non-diet issues. I referenced our “vegan diet” not our “vegan lifestyle” because I wanted to make it clear that I wanted a doctor who was knowledgeable and supportive of a vegan DIET. I did NOT want a doctor who was presumptuous about what they thought constituted my vegan lifestyle, including vaccine preferences, because usually they get that stuff wrong .

Unless they themselves are vegan they often don't understand how to differentiate between necessary and unnecessary nonvegan items. For example, if the doctor prescribes a baby lotion and it happens to be lanolin based, I'm going to ask for a vegan alternative. But if the doctor says the kid needs an emergency life-saving operation, I'm going to say, “Do it, do it well, and do it using the products you're most comfortable and familiar with, regardless of whether or not they're vegan.”