What Do You Need To Do In Order To Foster A Child?
Foster parenting can be a rewarding and life-changing experience. If you've never fostered children before, you may need to take a class in order to learn the requirements. Adequately preparing yourself ahead of time will allow you to be the best foster parent for your future children. These are four things that you must do in order to foster a child:
1. Become certified.
Before you can start fostering, you'll need to become a certified foster parent. You may need to complete a class on foster parenting and pass an exam in order to earn your certification. If you plan to parent foster children with your spouse, they will also need to obtain their certification. As part of the certification process, you will need to go through a legal background check. This background check is designed to weed out applicants who may be dangerous to children, including people who have been convicted of crimes against children in the past.
2. Receive a physical exam.
Before you can foster, you must complete a physical exam. This exam will certify that you are healthy enough to be a foster parent and is similar to the routine annual check-ups you probably already undergo. Your local foster agency can let you know exactly what type of medical records you will need to provide.
3. Complete a home study.
Home studies are another part of the fostering process. Home studies are conducted by a representative of your local foster care agency. The purpose of this visit is to ensure that your home is a safe place in which to raise a child. You'll be given advance notice before your home study in order to prepare. During a home study, you will be interviewed. This interview will ensure that you are mentally and financially secure enough to provide for a foster child.
4. Decide if you're open to adoption.
Foster care is a temporary arrangement for some children. Some kids simply need a loving home while their parents are temporarily unavailable or unfit to care for them. While reuniting children with their birth parents is always the goal, sometimes it's simply not possible. If this situation arises in your life, you must decide whether you're willing to adopt your foster child. Adoption can be a beautiful way to form a permanent family. There is no right or wrong answer, but you should be sure about your choice, no matter what you pick.
Contact an organization like The Up Center to learn more.
