The role of a foster parent is to provide a temporary home for a child in crisis. A child who is removed from his birth family's home due to abuse, neglect or abandonment will be placed with a foster parent until a more permanent arrangement can be found. Some foster parents do end up adopting their foster children, but a willingness to adopt is not a requirement for becoming a foster parent.
Be Realistic About Your Limitations
While wanting to help a needy child is a noble gesture, not everyone is equipped to be a good foster parent. According to Adopting.org, a resource for people interested in foster care and adoption, you must be able to provide firm discipline while being understanding of the child's developmental, emotional or behavioral problems. You must be able to love a child who may not be able to love you back because he has experienced rejection or attachment issues with his biological family. You must be able to help reunite a child with his biological family or assist with his permanent placement when appropriate. Not being able to accept these responsibilities certainly does not make you a bad parent, but it does mean that foster care would be difficult for you to handle.
Keep an Open Mind
Foster children are a diverse group. Children in need of care may be babies or they may be teenagers. They come from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Some may have physical or mental disabilities. To be a successful foster parent, you must be able to relate to children regardless of their personal characteristics and past experiences.
Know Your Rights
Being a foster parent is not like parenting your biological child. The government must be involved in many of your daily decisions, since the state has legal custody and control of foster children. For example, while you have the freedom to choose your own babysitter for your biological child, a foster child must have a babysitter who meets specific criteria. To keep foster parents informed about the legal issues surrounding foster children, several states have enacted their own "Foster Parent Bill of Rights." If your state has such a document, study it carefully. If your state does not have a formal statement of your legal rights, learn more about relevant laws by contacting the Department of Human Services or a local support organization for foster parents.
Emphasize Teamwork
Although a foster parent is responsible for much of a foster child's daily care, you don't need to undertake this task alone. There are a number of resources available for foster children and foster parents, ranging from groups to help teen foster children prepare for life after high school to training seminars that discuss concerns, which can result from fostering a child of another race. If there is a specific issue you are struggling with, social workers, teachers, therapists and other professionals involved with a foster child's care can direct you to appropriate assistance.
Seek Financial Assistance
If you already have children of your own, you know that parenting can be expensive. However, there are many different forms of financial assistance available for foster parents. Programs vary by state, but you may be eligible to receive assistance with clothing, medical expenses and daycare. When applying for assistance, keep in mind that you will often be asked to prove that your current family expenses can be met without this extra income.
