5 Things You Didn't Know About Being A Foster Parent

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Foster parents are special people. They open their home to children who desperately need someone to love them. Many people think that some foster parents only do what they do for a monthly government check, but the social services system has a great way to weed out the people with less than honorable intentions. Only the truly genuine people pass the brutal screening process. Here are five things you probably didn't know about being a foster parent.

1. It takes close to a year to pass the application process

Between background checks and licensing, it can take close to a year for everything to be cleared. The social service system needs to perform background checks on everyone who is over 12 years old within the household. Additionally, the home must be inspected to see if it is up to the system's standards for foster care.

2. Most foster parents pay out of pocket for foster kids

While the government does support foster parents, the pay is usually not equal to how much it actually costs to take care of a foster child. To help you gain a clear perspective of government pay, here are the recommended monthly rates in North Carolina:

.$315 for children up to 5 years old
.$365 for children 6 to 12
.$415 for children 13 and up

3. You don't have to be married to be a foster parent

There is a common misconception that a person has to be married to care for a foster child. This is simply not true.

4. You must have prior child-rearing experience

While it is recommended that you have experience raising children, it is not required. In fact, part of the licensing process requires applicants to take special classes that teach them how to care for foster kids and kids with special needs.

5. It is hard to let a foster child go

Foster kids don't stay with their foster parents forever. Often times, it is very difficult for the foster parents to give the foster kids back to the system or their biological parents. Foster parents have a great responsibility -- the responsibility to show a child how to love and how to be loved. Many foster parents can testify to how they helped change a child's life for the better.

About the Author:
Miranda Davis is a writer who enjoys writing on a number of different verticals. For more on foster children, Portrait of an Adoption offers readers information on what to consider before adopting traumatized children.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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