I feel called to foster parenting, what should i do? What do i need to know?

Question

I feel called to foster parenting, what should i do? What do i need to know?

Answer 1

My first suggestion - as a foster parent myself - is find the local foster parent association. They will become your biggest support group and an invaluable resource to you.

One way to do this is start at the national association (nfpainc.org) and find the state organization for your state ... then either navigate to their site or contact them to find your closest group.

The people in this group will have all been where you are, many of the better groups will also be attended by social workers and whatever agency oversees foster care in your area (can vary greatly by state and even county).

This group can show you the ropes and even mentor your travels through a very difficult licensing process (they are all very invasive.)

This is really the best way to begin your path.

From there you will contact the agency (private or state -- depending on your area) and express that you want to become a foster parent.

In most areas, this will get you into an orientation -- where they tell you the basics, and begin to learn about you. This is usually only a few hours at the most (but you'll probably leave with paperwork to do.)

From there, most of the time you will then go into some sort of training (in Florida it is typically a 10-week "MAPP" class that trains you on some issues you may face). You also will likely get a social worker assigned to you (licensing specialist) that will help you deal with the large amounts of paperwork, home inspections, simple psychological profile and background check.

Your experience may vary, which is why I encourage you to find the local association. They will know what best to tell you about your local situation.