Foster parent

From Adoption Information

A foster parent is a person or persons who temporarily become the caretakers of a minor child who has been removed from their parents or guardians home by proper authorities. These children may have been removed because of child abuse, neglect, or because they were living in a situation that was not safe for that child. These children are not in the foster parents care with the intent of adoption, but rather to try to reunify back with the parents if possible. If it is determined that reunification is not possible, then the child will be made available for adoption.

A person has to be certified by their state in order to be a foster parent. Eact state has it’s own requirements to become a foster parent which includes a certain number of hours of training, and a home visit to make sure the foster home is safe and secure for the child.

Some of the training requirements may include several hours of training, CPR and first aid training, home visits, as well as the ability to prove that they are financially and emotionally stable in order to care for foster children. Also, each state may also have it’s own requirements in order to even apply to become a foster parent. Some other requirements a state may require are to be of certain age, to complete a background check, the dynamics of the family member in the home, references, and possibly even a home study report.

Most foster care agencies are public agencies run by the state and found within the Department of Social Services or some sort of Human Services type office. Each office has their own schedule of foster parent training and support.

Once licensed or certified, a foster parent is then able to accept children into their care. The goal for most children is reunification if possible with the child’s parents or legal guardian. In some cases where that is not possible, the child may be eligible for adoption. Some foster parents want to just be a foster parent, while some may decide to adopt some of their foster children should be become available for adoption.

Some of the duties of a foster parent include providing a safe, loving home for the child, providing for basic needs like food, medical and dental services, schooling, and discpline (what ever form is mandated by that state) for the child. A foster parent may be required to take the child to mandated visits with thier parents, meetings with thier social worker and other professionals that are there to support and help the child.

Foster parents receive a monthly stipend per child. That amount is dictated by the local, state government and public agency. That stipend is to cover basic needs like food, clothing and other items that the child might be in need of.

There are several types of foster parents. There are career foster parents that want to only foster and to not adopt. There are foster adopt parents who have become foster parents hoping to adopt either a waiting child or a child who has been placed in foster care under what is called a “low risk of reunification” status. There are also respite only foster parents to foster children whose foster parents need either additional help with their children or if the foster parent may need time away from their fostering duties. There are also foster parents who have been specifiacally trained to take in certian special needs children. Some of those foster parents are also nurses, or have other medical or social worker training that might make them a better chioce for a child who has special needs.