Steps On Becoming A Foster Parent
Fostering is one activity that is known to be the one of the most rewarding ‘jobs’ any person can undertake. Before the child finds his/her permanent parents who will adopt them, fostering helps provide support, love and, care for the children up till then. There are various organizations that help you through the process of becoming a foster parent and successfully fostering children in your home.
There are different types of fostering such as day-care, overnight stays, regular planned weekends or holiday stays placements that last weeks, months or several years. Any family that is interested in becoming a foster parent can. However, there are certain steps which you will need to go through before you can officially become a foster parent. Read on to learn how to become a foster parent.
Steps on becoming a foster parent
Get in touch with a social worker
If you have been thinking about fostering, do not hesitate and pick up the phone and speak to one of the people working at a foster organization in your area. You can clear out any doubts and questions that you might have about fostering. The organization will also be asking you a few questions to get to know you a bit better and understand the reason and intent of you wanting to start fostering. Although you don’t need any qualifications to be able to foster there are certain basic necessities for you to be able to foster. Once the personnel feel that you are capable and fit for fostering, a home visit is arranged to speak about fostering in depth as well as to fill out the application form.
Skills required for fostering
After submitting the form, you will have to undergo a few days training course where you will discuss various topics important for becoming a foster parent. It is more of a discussion-based training rather than physical exams or tests. What you will learn in this training is:
- What is a role of a foster carer
- Why do children end up in foster care and the kind of support they require while they are under foster care
- Working together as a team to help children reach their true potential and be happy and healthy.
- Everyday situations which you may come across while dealing with children while fostering.
- Ways to manage a smooth integration of foster children into your current family and friends circle.
During the training, you will also get a chance to speak to a current foster parent. This will help you understand and get a peek into a real
life foster family situation.
Information gathering
Before the organization can give you the authority of becoming a foster parent, they will require you and your family to get an ‘Enhanced Disclosure’ which is a basic requirement for anyone looking after children. You will also need to go through a medical examination to ensure that you are fit and healthy to look after a child. The organization will also get in touch with some of your close friends and relatives as references. All this is done to ensure that you and your home is fit for the foster child to be a part of. This is extremely crucial as children are the most important and making sure that the people to whom their responsibility is being given to are suitable for all criteria as foster parents.
Solve any doubts
The organization will put you in touch with one of their social workers with whom you will be in direct contact. This provides you an opportunity to ask as many questions and clear out any doubts you have about foster care. Use this opportunity to get to know as much of the information you need so that you are confident of becoming a foster parent. There will be some home visits as well and the social worker will also be asking you about yourself as a person, your childhood, and other such information. These visits are opportunities for you and do not hesitate to give a ‘wrong answer’. Be open and learn as much as possible during this period.
Review
After all this, the social worker looking after your application will be preparing a consolidated report based on the home visits, information gathered and your training. This will be passed on to an independent panel usually consisting of 5 people, to review all your information. They will be making the decision whether you can become a foster parent. The panel will first have a discussion with the social worker and then you too will be invited to have a discussion with the panel.
Who can foster?
There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the question of who all are eligible for being able to become a foster parent. Few of the necessities of qualifying to apply for becoming a foster parent are:
- Over 21 years of age
- Have a spare bedroom
- As long as you are fit and healthy to take care of a child
- Not declared bankrupt in the past
- No criminal convictions
Other than these there is no importance given to your marital status, your sexuality, your gender or any other such factors.
There are a lot of children who need good foster care homes until they find their permanent homes where they will get adopted. This rigorous procedure is only to ensure well being for these children and ensure they are not put into the wrong hands or in a tough situation. The people who will be judging and making the decision whether you are fit for becoming a foster parent– all want you to succeed. They are not going to purposely deny you the authority to become a foster parent. So, you should not worry about the process and focus on making sure you understand the process and gain all the details and information that will make you a good foster parent.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
