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Becoming A Foster Parent  Who are the children in foster care?What does it take to become a foster parent? Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent Will Foster Parents have Help ? Foster care is temporary care for children who are unable to live with their birth families. A foster parent is a mother or father to a child in need of love and security. Foster parents provide what cannot be bought - love, concern, safety and understanding. The beauty of foster care is that children come into care with one parent and leave with two. This is why we call foster care a family to family helping service. Foster parents are married, single, separated, divorced or living with a partner. They are working parents and homemakers. If you are 21 or older and have enough room in your heart and home. fill out our on-line pre-qualification form. Who are the children in foster care? • Children in foster care represent all ethnic groups and may be infants through teenagers. • Some children may have physical and/or behavioral challenges and need special care. • When brothers and sisters come into care, we prefer to place them together. • Teenage mothers also need homes for themselves and their infants. • Children in foster care, like all children, need love, affection, and guidance. You will participate in profiling the kind of child that would best fit into your home. Foster parents often adopt the children in their care. If this becomes an option we will assist you with the adoption process. What does it take to become a foster parent? A foster parent should be someone who... • wants to make a difference in the life of a family. • can make room in their home and heart for children who need temporary care. • is flexible and capable of handling stressful situations. • can work as a member of a team with families, social workers and other professionals. • can help prepare a child for return to their birth family or to be adopted. • may become an adoptive parent. Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent 1. Pre-qualification form is completed. If you pre-qualify we make an appointment for a home visit. 2. A Homefinder performs a home visit. The purpose of the home visit is to verify that your home complies with city and state regulations. 3. If your home complies with the regulations you will fill out an application. In addition, a Clearance Form is sent to the New York State Central Registrar on child abuse and maltreatment. 4. Subsequently, you are invited to attend training. The training consists of ten 3 hour sessions once a week. The trainings are given in the daytime and evenings. The goal of the training is for us to help you decide whether or not being a foster parent is right for you. We call this the Mutual Selection Process. 5. During training, various documents from yourself and members of your family are obtained. These documents are required to certify you as a foster parent. Documents include, but are not limited to medical forms, birth certificates, and proof of income. 6. A fingerprint criminal record check is conducted by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. 7. A certificate of approval is granted and you are ready to open your home to children and families in need. The purpose of the training is to prepare the prospective foster parents in their new role, guiding them through the issues they will be dealing with as a foster parent. Using a process of education and self-assessment under the leadership of the agency, foster and adoptive parents are able to work as partners with staff, children and their families in the child welfare system. Will Foster Parents have Help ? Being a good parent is always a tough job. Being a good foster parent is even more of a challenge. We provide special help & support: • 24-hour access to staff • medical, dental, psychological and educational services for the foster child. • monthly stipend & clothing allowance • family counseling & support services • adoption assistance • training |
