Become a Foster Parent
Foster care programs are run by your state and provide temporary care for children who have been removed from their families due to abuse, neglect, or death of the children's caregivers. While the primary goal of foster care is usually reunification with the child's natural family, foster parents sometimes have the opportunity to adopt the children for whom they are caring. Below are the basics on become a foster parent.
Instructions
1. Before you can become a foster parent you must take a licensing course offered by your state. The course will teach you deal with the special emotional needs of children in foster care and may include basic first aid and CPR.
2. The requirements to become a foster parent are different for each state. You can find out the specific requirements of your jurisdiction at your local child welfare office. The following list outlines some common requirements to become a foster parent:
Criminal background check and fingerprinting for all household members
Home study
Medical exams and clearances for all household members
CPR and first aid training
3. Once you have completed the above requirements, you will receive a license from the state permitting you to care for foster children.
4. When a foster child is placed in your care, you will typically receive a monthly monetary stipend to cover the child's basic needs. It is important to remember that you may spend more on the children than what you are given by the state. In such instances, you will usually not be reimbursed, so keep this in mind as you consider becoming a foster care provider.
Tags: become foster, foster care, foster parent, Become Foster, become foster parent