How much does the state help foster parents?

Question

How much does the state help foster parents?

My aunts 5 year old daughter has been taken away and in foster care. I have never met her but she needs someone with lots of love and can help her with her anger issues (her dad was abusive) The state has asked my mom to help find her a home with family and I'm the only person that can really take her in. The only prob is that I need to rent out my extra bedroom for $600 per month or I cant pay my mortgage. My roommate is moving out April 2nd. Does anyone one know how much the state help with taking care of the child? BTW I live in Washington State

Answer 1

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Answer 2

Oh goodness.  Do you really think you are in the position to take in a 5-year child with anger issues?  

If you are concerned about having enough money to pay your mortgage, PLEASE, do not foster her.  The money the state gives you is NOT enough to care for a child.  And if you can't pay your mortgage, you are not going to have enough for her.

And with her anger and abuse issues, she needs someone who is mature and committed to her.  

Trust me, anger and abuse issues bring numerous behaviors that I think you are not ready for....stealing, hitting, urinating around your house, pooping on your floors, wetting the bed, yelling, hiding food, etc etc, etc.  

She needs someone who can take care of her and not be worrying about money.

Answer 3

the third poster didn't read your full paragraph (oh..it's just sooo long...) either. You're talking about foster care, not adoption... yet anyway.

I know we get $17.20/day for our foster-adopt placement, which is roughly $530/month. your cousin is older than our 11 month old. sometimes it makes a difference, sometimes it doesn't.  You're also talking from another state.

However, most of the money you get you'll find you're spending on the child. It's not like having a roommate where they buy their own food and clothes and such and the whole subsidy/rent amount goes in your pocket/towards your mortgage.

You may also have to consider daycare arrangements?  A daycare center can run around (or over) $200/week.  Sometimes they subsidize that, sometimes they don't.

I know I'm not really answering your question, and I'm probably giving you more, but if it were me, I'd contact the worker and see what s/he can tell you.

Answer 4

In the foster parenting handbook of Arkansas, it's $450.00 a month, which hadn't been raised in several years, and has been tried to raise lately.  Different states have different rates.  Good luck, and could you get a different apartment?  Kids need love, not a fancy apartment.

Answer 5

Washington allows assistance for children with special needs only. Special needs children must meet these requirements:

To be considered a child with special needs the following three statements must be true:

1. One or more of the following factors or conditions must exist:

-The child is of a minority ethnic background;

-The child is six years of age or older at the time of application for adoption support;

-The child is a member of a sibling group of three or more

-The child is a member of a sibling group in which one or more siblings meets the definition of special needs

-The child is diagnosed with a physical, mental, developmental, cognitive or emotional disability; or

-The child is at risk for a diagnosis of a physical, mental, developmental, cognitive or emotional disability due to prenatal exposure to toxins, a history of serious abuse or neglect, or genetic history.

2. The state has determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to the home of the biological parent; and

3. The department or child placing agency that placed the child for adoption must document that, except where it would be against the best interests of the child, the department or child placing agency had made a reasonable but unsuccessful effort to place the child for adoption without adoption support.

If the child meets these requirements, you would then negotiate with Social Services concerning payment....it is largely based on the level of care the child will need/is expected to need. They will, of course, consider the fact that you are family as well and may be more willing to raise the level of support--to keep the child in the family if there are no other family members available to adopt. The levels below are the highest it will go and are based on the level of disability/need of the child. So, if she is otherwise relatively healthy and just has a couple of issues, it will be in the low range. If she had more severe problems, it may be at the high range....form what you have stated, it sounds in the level 1 to level 2 range. Take care!

0-5 years Level 1$398.68 Level 2$551.60 Level 3 $897.19 Level 4 $1,175.98

http://www.nacac.org/adoptionsubsidy/sta...

EDIT: Gavino: I did read the post, and responded appropriately. If you would read the corresponding link information, you would see that the state levels mentioned above are for fostering a child.

Answer 6

YOU DEFINITELY CAN GET A KINSHIP PLACEMENT AND COMPENSATION.  You may be able to move towards a subsidized adoption.   Your young cousin? does sound like she has "special needs" which would require ongoing therapy and socialization/recreational activities, at the very least to help her adjust.  And there will be a LOT of adjustments entailed for YOU too.  I'm assuming you are working, in which case you would probably also be eligible for some of the assistance programs out there.  If you do decide to take care of her, you will also qualify for Earned Income Credit when you file your taxes-- as it sounds like your not making a six figure income ;  )

Talk honestly with the caseworkers and let them know how much you would realistically NEED to provide the sort of care that your cousin will be needing.  Find a support group in your area for others who are doing kinship care, there you will find a wealth of information on the sorts of programs and benefits and supports that are there to help.  Oh yeah-- PRAY a lot!

Think long and hard, do not let anyone guilt you into anything.

Do this if you feel you are the right person in your family to take care of her.  If there is no one in your family who is ready to take care of her, let the state find a qualified foster home for her while you (or someone else) gets better prepared for the task.  Your family IS eligible for assistance and help and your cousin might get better services initially if she is placed in a therapeutic level of foster care, where she will get evaluated in terms of identifying areas of need that she has.

In terms of her history of "abuse" it could be the tip of the iceburg.  It might be better if she ISN'T with a family member as more becomes known.  You know best on those matters though.  Expect things to be hard at first, she could be withdrawn, volatile, sneaky-- at first-- just don't give up.  You can be there for her, if she lives with you, or not, at this juncture.  And if it is just a matter of money,  there ARE definitely resources there for you wherever you live.  It is a matter of identifying them and getting the Caseworkers to support your efforts around getting them put into place.

All the Best,    Cee

Answer 7

Hate the be the bearer of bad news but in some states if you are a family member or a close family friend you do not get compensation at all so check with your state to find out for sure before you make a commitment. One child won't bring in 600$ unless they are considered more special needs than you are describing.

Answer 8

As someone else mentioned, if a family member fosters the child, then in many cases they don't receive financial assistance. Even if you do, that money is not supose to be part of your income, actually, you need to show that you can pay all of your bills without the financial assistance.

The money is meant to cover the extra expences that caring for the child will incurr, such as food, clothing, gas money to take her to doctor and counseling appointments, and money for entertainment and activities such as goin to movies, ballet classes, etc. The foster parents that  I know end up spending a good deal of their own money on the child in addition to the assistance they recieve.

http://www.fosterparenting.com/foster-ca...