Foster Care
When a child's image of a safe, loving family is shattered by abuse and neglect, it takes a special kind of caring to put the pieces back together. During these fragile times, skilled and loving foster parents make a difference. Abuse, neglect and abandonment are among the issues that bring children into foster care.
Foster parents are licensed by and work with Franklin County Children Services to provide temporary care for children whose families are in crisis. Most often, the goal of foster care is to reunify children with their birth families. Children not able to return to their birth families will continue to live with their foster parents until they are adopted, or they are old enough to live on their own.
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Click here to see details from the 2010 Foster Parent Banquet!
Click here to see photos from the Foster Care Day at CoCo Key Water Resort.
Qualifications and Requirements
Today's foster families come from many different backgrounds. If you are at least 21 years old, have space in your home for additional children and have a stable income, you meet the guidelines. You can be married, single, or divorced. You don't have to be rich or own your own home to qualify, but your home must meet basic safety requirements.
The Basics
As you consider foster care, you will certainly have questions about the youngsters who need foster care and how the program will affect your family. Through training and preparation, we'll address your questions and concerns.
Preparation
- The first step toward becoming a foster parent is completion of the required preparation course. Sessions are held weeknights or Saturdays. If you are married or have a partner, that person will also need to attend. If you are not ready to begin training, you can arrange to have a private interview or home visit. Call us at 614-341-6060.
- During preparation, you'll answer lots of questions and complete a good deal of paperwork. We'll ask for references from your friends and your employer. You and your family will need to have physical examinations. This may seem like a lot, but keep in mind how much you would like to know about people who might be asked to care for your own children.
- Once you have completed preparation and are licensed, the process to match you with a child begins. And remember that we are looking for families for children . . . not children for families. If you will be caring for sibling groups, teenagers, or youngsters who have special needs, your home may be in great demand.
- Many children who need foster care have brothers and sisters. If you are unable to take more than one child, you may wait longer for placement. Imagine how you might feel if you and your brother or sister had to be removed from your parents. That is scary enough . . . but much worse if you had to also be separated from each other because the foster parents couldn't take both.
- No matter what type of child you foster, there will be times when you won't have a child placed in your home. We have little control over which children come into care or when. But it is our aim to have a home available for every child who needs a place to live.
- Once placed, the children will stay with you until their parents are able to work through the problems that disrupted the family or until the child is placed with an adoptive family. You will do everything for the foster child that you would do for your own children, including registering the child in school and making sure basic needs are met.
- Each month you will receive a reimbursement check to cover the cost of caring for the child. The amount is based on the age and needs of the child. Medical and dental expenses are covered, and Children Services will also help with day care costs.
Hispanic and Somali Foster Families Needed
While arrangements are being made for them to return to their parents or caretakers, Hispanic and Somali children need temporary living arrangements. . . . . in foster care or in kinship care. The agency is always searching for families to fill this need.
Children who need a temporary residence may live for a time with relatives (kinship care) or with foster parents. Hispanic and Somali families who are interested in becoming a foster family or kinship care provider should call 614-341-6060.
If you are at least 21 years old, have space in your home for additional children and have a stable income, you meet the guidelines. You can be married, single, or divorced. You don't have to be rich or own your own home to qualify, but your home must meet basic safety requirements.
Support for Your Family
As a foster parent, you will need and get support. You will work with a foster care coordinator and Children Services support staff. Each child placed in your home will have a social worker. You will also have the support of other foster parents. As a licensed foster parent, you are automatically a member of the Foster Parent Association. That association sponsors meetings and in-service training on topics of interest to foster parents. A variety of social events will give you a chance to meet and greet other foster parents. For more resources, click here.
Read Foster Features: A Quarterly Publication of the Franklin County Foster Parent Association.
Contact Information:
614-341-6060
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