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Foster families are like other types of families in a lot of ways. Foster parents are there to help their foster children learn and grow. The main difference is that the situation is likely temporary, and many times neither party knows how long the foster child’s stay will last.
Read on to learn more about what a foster family is, why foster families exist, and the type of person it takes to become a foster parent.
Foster Families 101
Choosing to become a foster parent is a huge decision. Not only are you inviting a new child to live within your home, you are also committing to caring for an additional person’s every day needs. This includes doctor and dental visits, ensuring the child bathes and takes care of themselves, and getting them to school on time. Many times, as a foster parent, you aren’t sure the type of past the child had before they arrived at your door. Foster parents must be sensitive to their foster child’s different needs, and care for them as if they were their own.
Why Do Foster Families Exist?
A foster family gives a child a temporary safe home. Whether the child was experiencing abuse or neglect from within their biological family, or has been an orphan for years, it has been determined that the child must be placed in foster care. In some cases, their parents may have drug addictions to get in order before the child can possibly be returned to them. While some foster kids remain in care for years, the goal is to limit the amount of time they are with a foster family. The foster family program’s goal is to get families back together safely as soon as possible.
Who Can Foster?
Foster parents can be married couples or single/divorced persons. They may have families of their own at home or no other children. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, you must look at your own lifestyle, home, and habits and evaluate if it is the right decision for you. Adults at the foster parent program will evaluate you and your home before allowing you to foster. Some foster programs require the foster parent to pass a written test. The most important thing is that foster parents be patient and caring toward children who may be upset about the transition into a new home.
The Caseworker’s Role
Caseworkers are an integral part of the foster family experience. They often check in to make sure that the child is doing okay. They are responsible for making a plan that describes the type of help the foster child’s former family needs, as well as a goal date for when they can be reunited again. Arrangements are also made so that the foster child can visit with Mom, Dad, or siblings.
While the end goal is for the child to be returned to his family, sometimes it can take months or years before that can happen. A foster family provides a safe, dependable life for the foster child in the meantime. While it is a lot of work, fostering a child can be a rewarding experience, and depending on the circumstance, you may build a life-long relationship with that child. If you are interested in fostering, contact your local foster agency to get the process started today.
Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency licensed by the State of Illinois, a member of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).
