Foster parenting or foster care assists children and their overall needs. Displaced children reside in foster care until they can return home, find a permanent home or be placed into a treatment center. The Administration for Children and Families through the Department of Health and Human Services states that there were approximately 463,333 children in the foster care system in 2008. Foster parenting requires a dynamic person or couple to open their homes and care for a child who needs support, stability and a safe environment. Foster parents should show the same parenting skills they would with their own children, yet adjust their care levels based on the needs of each individual child.
Governing
Most foster care homes are governed by the state and run by individual counties. The state holds strict guidelines; foster parents must first meet with a social service agency in order to apply and be accepted. Every adult in the home must undergo extensive psychological and criminal background checks before the application can be processed. The state works in conjunction with law enforcement, schools and crisis centers to find children the best temporary homes. A social worker is generally assigned to a case, follows the progress of the child and works diligently on permanent placement through the court system.
Requirements
There are strict requirements to become a foster parent. In addition to the psychological and criminal background checks, the state agency must approve each foster parent based on his financial status. Other requirements include that the foster parents be at least 21 years of age or older and complete up to 35 hours of state training. Foster parents must have additional caretakers available to assist them, keeping the adult-to-child ratio of one to six within most state regulations.
Types
Children find themselves in situations where they may be abused, neglected or abandoned. Some foster parents take in children within a certain age group with which they may have more experience or better accommodations for, such as babies or young children. Others may focus more on older children or teens with substance abuse problems or drug addiction. Some foster parents have handicap accessible homes in order to accommodate kids in wheelchairs or those who have special needs.
Time Frame
Foster parenting is generally a full-time job. Most foster parents are on call--if they get a call from social services at any time of the day or night, they must be able to provide a safe and nurturing environment for a child or teen. Foster homes can provide around-the-clock care in an emergency situation. Some foster parents only keep children overnight or for a few days until they can be reunited with their parents. Others have children on a long-term basis until they are matched up with new parents through an adoption agency.
Goals
One of the main goals of foster parenting is reunification of the child with his custodial parent or finding her the best permanent home. Most children must remain in foster care while a court case is being tried regarding parental rights. It is also important for the foster family to make sure the child's educational and health care needs are met during his stay. This means transporting her to and from appointments with health care professionals. Making sure she attends school regularly is also a prominent goal of most foster-parenting situations.
