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What is Foster Care?
A child is placed in foster care when it is determined that his or her home life is dangerous, inappropriate or unhealthy. Many foster children have experienced lives full of neglect and mental, physical or sexual abuse, and they bring with them a wide array of emotional needs. The ultimate goal is to resolve the family conflicts or disruptions and return the foster child to his or her original home, but when this proves impossible, the children are often placed for adoption or some form of independent living. During this time, the Foster/Resource parent works with the child’s social worker to ensure that the child has a chance to blossom as a healthy, well-adjusted member of the community. TFI Family Services is the foster care provider for much of Kansas, with over 800 children currently in our care. As of March, 2002, however, we have less than 500 Foster/Resource parents. Obviously, there is a desperate need for Foster/Resource parents. Every child deserves a loving home in which they can grow and flourish. Is Foster/Resource parenting right for you? Keep reading to find out.
What types of care are available?
The most common type of foster care is called “Child-In-Need-of-Care” fostering. This is basically when a child is removed from his or her home and placed in your house until suitable permanent living arrangements can be made, including reintegration with the birth family, placement with relatives, adoption or an independent living arrangement. The child might be in your home anywhere from a few days to a year or more. Other types of foster care include Emergency Care, which is when a child needs to be taken out of his or her home immediately, Respite Care, where the child stays with another foster family to give you a short break, and Therapeutic Care for children who need behavioral counseling. In addition, several other types of foster care are also available, some more flexible and convenient to your schedule than others. For full details on the different types of care, click here. The average age of the child in your care can vary, anywhere from infancy to 18 years old. You can specify which age group you would like and don’t worry—you are never under any obligation to accept a placement. There is currently a shortage of foster families willing to accept children between the ages of 12 and 18, a problem which TFI Family Services is trying to solve. These children need just as much love and support as any other age group, and they deserve a stable home during their crucial adolescent years.
How do I become a Foster/Resource parent? First, you must be a legal adult with a permanent residence and an outside source of income (other than the foster care reimbursement). You don’t have to be rich, but you do need to be able to support yourself. You must also have enough room for the child, including a separate bed for each foster child under your roof. If you have any questions about whether or not you meet these qualifications, our Recruitment Specialist will be happy to discuss them with you. Next, every Foster/Resource parent attends MAPP Training, which stands for Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting. This is a free ten week class designed to help you make an informed decision about whether or not to become a Foster/Resource parent. Various aspects of good parenting are discussed, and graduates of the program are better prepared to face the challenges that come with fostering a child. You will also need to provide three personal references from friends or acquaintances, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Child Abuse Registry will run a background check to make sure that you are legally able to be a Foster/Resource parent. Finally, your home will need to be inspected by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. This is just to make sure that your home is safe and suitable for children. Once again, our Recruitment Specialist can walk you through any questions you might have in these matters.
Would I make a good Foster/Resource parent? Do you love children? Would you like to make a positive influence in a young child’s life, giving them the love, support and guidance that every child deserves but, unfortunately, not every child receives? Would you like to make Kansas a brighter and better place for impressionable young minds to grow and flourish, for children to become healthy, happy individuals? If you answered yes to these questions, then you would make a wonderful Foster/Resource parent! Being a Foster/Resource parent is a full time job, and one that can sometimes be difficult and frustrating. But the first time you see your foster child learn to smile and laugh, the first time your child hugs you, the first time you hear your child say, “I went to sleep feeling safe last night,” you will realize that being a Foster/Resource parent is perhaps the most rewarding experience of your life.
How can I find out more? If you want to learn more about becoming a Foster/Resource parent, please contact our Recruitment Department toll-free at (800) 279-9914, or by email at recruitment@the-farm.org. |
If
you’re reading this page, you might be considering becoming a Foster/Resource parent. It is certainly a huge decision—to invite a child into your home, to
provide the child with love, support and stability, and finally to say goodbye
and watch the child return to his or her home, stronger, happier and healthier.
Being a Foster/Resource parent is not easy, but it just might be the most rewarding job
you ever have.
