FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Foster Care

 

What is Therapeutic Foster Care?

Therapeutic Foster Care is the temporary placement of a child in your home who has been removed from their family due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.

Who is in need of foster care?

Foster children range in age from birth to 21 years old. They come from all cultural backgrounds, and have experienced life disruption due to family crisis. They may suffer with emotional or learning disabilities, developmental delays, and/or behavior problems.

How do you become a foster parent?

Prospective foster parents must be at least 21 years of age, financially stable, and should have good parenting skills or a willingness to learn the skills necessary for successful placement. A foster parent may be single, married, widowed, or divorced. We assist and facilitate potential foster parents throughout the state licensing process.

Basic licensing requirements include the following:

22 hours of pre-service training – First Aid, CPR, & Universal Precautions Training – Home Study and Safety Inspection – Physical Examination and TB Test –  Criminal Record and Child Abuse Registry Check –  A working Telephone –  Access to Transportation –  Homeowners and Automobile Insurance –  Bedroom Space for each Foster Child –  Adequate Income to Financially Support one’s own Family without Reliance on the Monthly Foster Parent Stipend.

How long do the children stay?

The length of stay for each foster child can vary greatly. Some children can be placed as an emergency placement and only stay one night. Other children might stay days, months or even a year. The goal is permanent placement of the child through reunification with the child’s parents, placement with relatives or adoption.

Can I adopt my foster child?

Foster care is meant to be temporary care while working toward reunification with the family. If reunification with the parents or family is not possible, adoption can become an option.

Can I give guidelines for the age and sex of a child before they are placed with me?

Yes, you can specify what gender and age child you would be comfortable fostering in your home.

What is respite care and would I receive it as a foster parent?

Respite foster care is when one foster family cares for the foster children of another foster family allowing the first family a break. All of our foster parents receive respite care.

Who pays for medical and dental services for foster children?

Medicaid pays for all services including dental, medical, and eye exams.

Can foster parents work outside the home?

Most of our foster parents work outside of their home. Some work full time and others part time. However, each child’s needs are addressed individually and some children require a full time stay-at-home parent.

If I decide to become a foster parent how long does my license last?

Once licensed your  license is good for four years. However, annual criminal record checks and 20 hours of training is required per year.

What if I am not ready to be a foster parent but want to help foster children?

There a several ways to get involved with foster children with out becoming a foster parent. You can be trained to provide respite care to our current foster parents. You can also share your time volunteering at our summer camp. You can donate suitcases so our foster children never have to move their belongings in a trash bag again. We can also use monetary donations to help make placements for our foster children a bit more comfortable.