Change A Child's Life For The Better By Becoming A Foster Parent
Posted on: 19 December 2018
Do you want to become a foster parent? There are thousands of children out there who could benefit from having a loving, safe, and completely comfortable home to live in. Unfortunately, many of the children in the foster care system have lived miserable lives where they were neglected and possibly even abused, so they can use all the love they can get. If you have found it in your heart to open up your home to a foster child, you may want to know what you will need to do to get a foster care license and officially become a foster parent.
Completing an Application
The first step to becoming a foster parent is to complete an application to foster a child. When filling out the application, you will need to provide certain details, such as your name, the address in which you live, the number of people who live in the home, and what you do for a living to earn money. There are many other questions that you may need to answer when completing the application. Make sure to fill the application out correctly and honestly to speed up the process.
Going Through the Verification Process
Because workers from child services need to make sure that you are going to provide a loving and nurturing home, they are going to need to run a background check on you and anyone else living in the home where the child will live. A detailed background check lets the employees from the local child services agency know if you have a criminal history or not. You will need to agree to having your fingerprints taken. Once your background check is complete, someone from child services will arrange a meeting with you in the home. The person who comes out to your home needs to make sure you have a room for the child to stay in, along with enough space in your place for the child.
If everything goes well, you could end up with a foster child in less than six months. During that time, you can mentally prepare yourself for this new situation by joining foster parenting support groups and attending foster parent training courses where you can learn how to help the child who is placed in your home, especially if he or she is going through a lot of different emotions. Choosing to become a foster parent is a wonderful, selfless decision to make for a child who could use the love and support that he or she has not had.
For more information on thefoster care licensing process, check with an adoption center or the Department of Social Services in your area.
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