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While foster parenting starts off with a compassionate heart and a desire to help children, there are other things to consider before deciding whether it is the right path for you. Here are five frequently asked questions about foster parenting to help you in your decision.
Who can be a foster parent?
Anyone can be a foster parent if they match the requirements and are committed to making a difference in the life of a child. Those interested in providing foster care must be 21 years of age or older. Foster parents are single adults, or couples who are married or in civil unions, including same sex couples. Some already have children and some have never had a child of their own. Sometimes, foster parents are individuals who have a personal or emotional tie to a youth in need of care.
How does someone become a foster parent?
Before someone can foster a child, they will have to complete an application packet, as well as a background check and medical examination. A licensing worker will visit the home to make sure everything is up to standard, also called a home study. While each agency operates a little differently, most offer (and require) a certain amount of training before becoming a foster parent. Other qualifications involve a willingness in maintaining positive ties to the child’s birth family.
How long will the process take?
A large part of it depends on a commitment to completing the licensing process in a timely manner. Getting all of the paperwork in order, completing a background check, and taking any required courses is time-consuming, but important. Showing that you are dedicated and maintaining regular communication with the licensing agency will help the process move expediently. Normally, the process can take as long as three months to complete.
How are children matched with foster parents?
After obtaining a license, the agency will then match foster parents with a child. The agency will most likely look at the foster family’s strengths and experiences before considering the right fit. Foster parents will receive information on the child, and a visit will be arranged to meet the child and get acquainted before the child moves into the home. Foster parents should be committed to children regardless of age or ethnicity.
What kind of support is provided?
While foster parents are compensated for their help in caring for the child, they will have to already possess sufficient financial resources before consideration. Any monetary support given should be used to cover items needed for the child, such as food, clothing, school supplies, and activities. Once a child placed with a foster parent (or family), the agency will be there to offer services and support along the journey. This can include training, case management, therapeutic mentoring, in-home counseling, and extended family support.
Whether you have always wanted to become a foster parent or you have only recently thought about it, educating yourself on the process is key. If fostering sounds like the right fit for you, then please contact your local foster agency to get 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).
