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New Foster Parent Information
BE THE DIFFERENCE...BECOME A FOSTER PARENT! |
RequirementsTo be considered as a Foster Parent with A World for Children you must:
You must also:
FAQSHow long will a child live in my home? How much does it cost to become a foster parent? I am single. Can I become a foster parent? Do I have to own my own home to be a foster parent? Can I determine what children are placed in my home? How long does it take to become a foster parent? We'd like to help a child but are not ready to commit to fostering. Are there other ways to help?
Foster care is including children in your family so their varying needs can be met. Foster Families provide shelter, food, clothing, and acceptance in a nurturing environment in addition to “healing” intervention. To ensure the success of each adoption, A World for Children strongly believes that a growth process should occur between the family and the child prior to the lifetime commitment of adoption. Through our foster-to-adopt program that growth process can take place with professionals there to guide you and that child along the way .
How long will a children live in my home? The primary goal for each child who enters the foster care system is to be reunited with his/her biological parents or relatives. Foster families, by design, are families who provide a temporary haven until permanence can be obtained through reunification or adoption. Children’s stay can range from several months to several years. You should ask your case worker for the child’s placement plan prior to placement in your home. How much does it cost to become a foster parent? Foster parents are responsible for all costs accumulated during the licensing process. Some cost may include CPR and 1 st Aid training, FBI fingerprinting, health inspection, etc. Once your home has been verified and a child has been placed in your home you will then receive foster care subsidies. I am single. Can I become a foster parent? You do not have to be married to become a foster parent. Single parents are welcomed and valued at AWFC. Do I have to own my home to be a foster parent? You do not have to own your own home to be a foster parent. You must be able to provide the required living space specified in the agency policy for each child placed in your home. The home environment must be stable financially without the assistance you may receive from the foster subsidies. Can I determine what children are placed in my home? Each family will be given the opportunity to express what type of children (age, sex, ethnicity, behaviors, etc.) they can parent most effectively. As a foster parent with AWFC you will not be required to accept a child into your home that you are uncomfortable with providing care. How long does it take to become a foster parent? On average the process for a newly licenses foster parent takes approximately 3 months to complete. However, the process can be completed sooner depending on the families’ availability and determination. We'd like to help a child but are not ready to commit to fostering. Are there other ways to help? Children in foster care need many caring adults in their lives on a consistent basis. Short-term or respite care is one way to get involved by providing care to children for a specified time while foster parents are unavailable or taking a break. It cab bas as short as a few hours or as long as a few weeks. Other ways to be involved include mentoring, providing transportation, or sponsoring a child. THE PROCESS7 Steps to Foster ParentingStep 1: Let’s Talk!When you first contact our office, a staff member will answer your question about being a foster parent. If you’re interested in taking the next step, we will get your basic contact information to mail you a packet of information and forms or you may access the forms below. Once you have received the forms please fill them out and return them to us. Need an application? CLICK HERE Step 2: OrientationYou will be invited to an orientation, where you will meet with other interested families and learn more about what it will mean for you to be a foster parent. Questions are welcomed. If needed, a staff person will come to your home and meet with you individually to answer your question and provide information. If you have not yet acquired an application you will receive one at that time. A World for Children provides foster/adopt services to every region of Texas. Find your local AWFC office Step 3: Getting to Know You Better Every prospective foster parent is required to attend the training listed below. This invaluable training is designed to help you make a final decision about becoming a foster parent. The classes are an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and strengthen your confidence to meet the challenge of taking children into your home. The following training is provided at no cost to you. · 8 hrs of Foster Parent Initiative (FPI) * CPR and 1st Aid training are also required. This training is not offered through our agency. We recommend you contact your local Red Cross for training dates and times. The State of Texas minimum standards also require that verified foster homes receive annual in-service training. Through A World for Children staff and professional affiliations annual in-service training will be offered regularly. THE REWARDBy becoming a foster parent you then commit to making the hurt go away. This commitment enables you to help CHANGE THE LIFE AND DESTINY OF A CHILD. We search for and partner with individuals, and families who have room in their homes and hearts: coupled with a desire to give a child or young person perhaps their ONLY OPPORTUNITY at life. We witness miracles everyday. Kids walking with their heads high, laughing, exchanging trusting glances to the FOSTER PARENTS who really gave them a life and the confidence to live it. Why AWFC? We are here to SERVE and SUPPORT YOU !
TRANSFERING FAMILIES
After these forms are completed, return them to A World for Children and we will contact the agency and facilitate the transfer of your information. Unless you make other arrangements through your Family Support Specialist at AWFC, please make sure you have contacted the agency you are currently working with to let them know you are considering transferring to AWFC and that we will be contacting them. If your home has been active within the past year, you must complete the following training:
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