What is Binti?
Binti is the company that supports the technical component of the online application process for foster care agencies and applicants. We are a software company that allows applicants and the foster care agency to work on forms online when applying to become a foster parent and also when recertifying to maintain foster parent status. Foster care agencies purchase our software so that applicants can complete all the required Agency forms online and Agencies can access that information as well as track tasks they need to complete as Agency staff.
Your online portal/account was created by the foster care agency. If the agency is requiring you to complete any items, you'll be asked to complete via Binti for instant delivery to the agency.
Because we (Binti) build and support the software, we're available to applicants and the Agencies to attend to questions and needs that are technical and not Agency specific.
How do I create a Binti account and start my application?
Online Sign-Up
If you know the county or private agency that you want to apply with, please email us at help@binti.com including the County or Agency name with which you want to apply and we will gladly send a link for you to sign up online.
When we respond with the sign up link, click it, enter the contact and demographic information requested to create your account. Be sure to continue through all of the steps until you successfully land on the Welcome page of the application portal. Read the instructions on the Welcome page and proceed through the application process.
Through an agency
If you have spoken directly with the agency with which you would like to apply, they may send you a link to sign up online, or they might enter your information to create your application from their side. When they create your application with a valid email address, you will receive a welcome email inviting you to set your password. After you set your password, it will take you to the Welcome page of the application portal. Read the instructions on the Welcome page and proceed through the application process.
Navigation tips to get around in Binti
- To start, here is a tutorial video showing many of the basics of navigating Binti. Written instructions are below the tutorial video.
The numbers labeled in this image are described below.
1. Application and My Documents: Clicking Application will take you back to the stage of the application where more work needs to be done. After you have filled out any forms, you can click My Documents to download and save for your personal records.
2. Need Help?: Contains any contacts that your agency makes available to you. There may be a general contact there at the beginning of the process, but once a worker is assigned to you, they will appear in this tab.
3. Applicant Name: This is a drop down menu which will be your name. In the drop down menu, you can change your email preferences and sign out of your application, or switch between previous applications. Additionally, if you've been asked to be a reference before please refer to the link below:
4. Select Language: If the agency you are signing up with has multiple languages added to their application portal, you can toggle between the desired languages here.
5. Application Timeline/Stages: This timeline only features 3 stages as an example - Welcome, Application Forms, Confirmation. Depending on the agency you are applying with, there may be more stages for you to work through. You can click back and forth between stages you have already completed by clicking the words under the icon. You cannot click forward to the next stage if you have not completed the previous stage.
Setting your Youth Preferences
1. Log in to your family portal
2. Click on Youth Preferences
3. Indicate demographic preferences
4. Indicate characteristics, medical conditions, and behaviors you are able to support
5. Click on Update Youth Preferences to save
Completing the Application Forms
Entering information into the forms
The Application Forms page will look something like the image below. The names of the required forms will vary by agency, but the steps to complete them will be the same.
1. Click into the form you want to complete by clicking the words of the title of the form, or the arrow on the far right. If you need to edit a form after signing it, you can click back into it the same way.
2. Enter the requested information and click the blue 'Save and Continue' button.
If you do not know all of the information to complete a section, click Save and Continue and Binti will save the information you have entered. A blue pie chart will indicate that there is still more work to be done for you to return to later.
Green check mark: Complete
Blue pie chart: In progress
Grey circle: Not started
Once all circles have a green check mark, you will be brought back to the Application Forms page, where the document will be prepared for you to electronically sign.
If you have more questions about how to fill out the application forms, please click here to be directed to another article with more images and details: Completing the Application Forms
E-signing the completed forms
When a form is ready to be signed, a blue button that says "Sign for [Applicant Name]" will appear under the title of the form. Click that button to open the e-signature document.
There are currently two platforms used to enter your e-signature. Please look at the images of each platform's headers below and read their corresponding instructions.
BintiSign:
If the header of the e-sign platform looks like this, please follow these instructions.
- Draw or type your signature in the top right box and then click "Save my signature".
- Click Next in the top right corner to navigate to the part of the form where you need to enter your signature (or scroll down the form manually on the left side.)
- Click "Sign here" under the box with blue and white stripes to enter your signature into the form.
- After you click "Sign here" a blue Accept button will appear in the right column. Click Accept to save you signature and finalize the application.
If you still need assistance, click here to go to an article with more images to follow along with: Signing my application forms
HelloSign / Dropbox Sign:
If the header of the e-sign platform looks like this, please follow these instructions.
- Click 'Get Started'.
- Click the box that says 'Click to Sign' and choose a signature option drawn or typed.
- Click the 'Insert' button at bottom.
- Click 'Continue' button in the top right corner.
- After all signature fields have been filled in, click the 'I Agree' button in the top right corner).
If you still need assistance, click here to go to an article with more images to follow along with: Signing my application forms