All foster parents in the United States must be licensed or approved in order to provide care for children. The process is different in each state and may even vary in different counties. Both single and dual-parent families can be foster parents, with most states and regions also welcoming same-sex partners as well.
Foster care is provided by both private agencies and public agencies (state, county and tribal). For contact listings in your state, go to www.childwelfare.gov/nfcad/ and select your state. A general internet search can also produce local agencies. If there are several agencies, call all of them so that you can find the one that works best for you.
Once you call, the agency will ask for your name, address and phone number so that they can send you information about the agency and the licensing/certification process. They may also ask about your motivation and desire to foster and the agency's needs and mission. An initial meeting will also be scheduled with a licensing agent, either at a given location or within your home, providing you additional information on your role and responsibilities and allowing you to complete the application and forms.
The application process, then, determines if foster care is right for you and your family and which children you would better serve. A family assessment or "home study" is completed on each member of your family, gathering a complete social history through several questionnaires. You will also be asked to provide 3+ confidential references.
Orientation and training may either be combined with the assesment or given separately. Most states require 10-30 hours of training before becoming licensed and/or being placed with a child. Some agencies may require addition training in CPR and first aid and anything pertaining to the care of a child with special needs.
A complete background check is also done to review your criminal and child protection history. This will require your fingerprints and authorization to perform a search through the local, state and FBI databases. Any previous arrest or conviction is assessed individually and may not automatically disqualify you from fostering.
Once these steps are completed, the agency will then conduct a home safety check; which may also entail an inspection by a fire marshal or building inspector, under special circumstances. A check list will be provided, giving you a detailed list of anything that needs to be fixed or added.
At the end of the process, the licensing agent will provide you with a completed report and a list of recommended children. They will alo submit the appropriate paperwork to the licensing agency in order to issue your license. (This information was obtained from www.nfpaonline.org)
ADOPTING FROM FOSTER CARE
Thousands of children in foster care are in need of permanent families! Most children who enter the foster system come from abusive, neglectful and/or abandonment situations within their biological homes. These children, then, become placed in the temporary custody of the state while their birth parents are given the opportunity to complete services in order to be reunited with their children. Only a litle more than half of foster care children actually return to their birth families, however. The remaining half become available for adoption. Some children do become adopted by close relatives or even the foster family. But, thousands continue to wait for their forever homes.
Most children available for adoption from the foster system range from toddler to 21 years old, with the median age being 8 years old. Since some children may have a traumatic history, adoptive parents may undergo specific training to help these children heal. The adoptive process may be handled by a public or private agency that is contracted with the state. The cost of adopting from foster care is also often funded by the state, with Little to No Fees! However, private adoption agencies may contain their own costs, which can be recouped from federal or state programs once the adoption is finalized. Involving an attorney will also have its own costs. There is also Adoption Assistance to help remove any financial barriers for kids with special needs, in the form of medical assistance and monthly maintenance payments.
More information and a photo listing of children available for adoption can be found at www.adoptuskids.org.
FOSTERING TO ADOPT
The amount of time waiting for an adoption to be finalized can potentially be reduced if the adoptive parents are also licensed foster parents. The benefits in fostering to adopt is the ability to bond with your child while you wait for the adoption process to be finalized. You, also, already understand the child's needs and can accurately negotiate for Adoption Assistance and any relationships the child may have with outside family members can continue without interruption, for the benefit of the child.
What foster parents must understand, however, is that the ultimate goal is to reunify children with their biological parents or related family members. Nevertheles, the intentions and determination of the foster parents to adopt is nearly always made aware by the court during adoption placement.
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