 | Jessica Dutton works to help educate and inform possible foster parents for TFI Family Services in Pittsburg. The agency will host a new series of PSP-MAPP classes for those interested in becoming foster parents. Classes start March 6th, 6pm-9pm at 3101 N. Michigan, Pittsburg and will run for 10 weeks, once a week.
For more information on becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please contact TFI Family Services, Inc. Toll Free 1-800-279-9914 or visit us online at www.tfifamilyservices.org. |
Community Events
2012-04-20 15:17:58
Becoming a foster parent
Q: What should you consider before becoming a foster parent?
A: Assessing the impact is vital to your decision in fostering. How is this going to affect your family? It is truly like adding a newborn to your family. The birth order will change, and with that the family dynamics change. Are your own children willing to adjust? With all that being taken into consideration, it is important to realize that the child needs to be able to adjust too. Foster parents need to be able to see the child, as if they were looking through the child’s eyes. These children often come from abuse, neglect and poor living conditions. The foster family should be able to recognize that they aren’t going to get a perfect child. The child may come from nothing, and move into a completely different environment. In addition, the hardest concept for families is to understand the child’s bond to the biological parents. Even though the child has come from a bad situation, doesn’t mean that the child no longer desires to be with the bio parent’s. The bond, the feeling of love for the bio parent doesn’t change. It is vitally important that families take that into consideration. At any given point in time, the family will need to be able to support the child’s return home. On the flip side, the foster family will also need to prepare for the emotional response of the child’s return home.
Taking the financial piece into consideration is important as well. There is free medical insurance that is provided for the child, a daily reimbursement rate, and clothing vouchers that are given twice a year. This truly doesn’t take a lot to figure out. If you can provide a safe, loving, nurturing environment for a child, you will have what it takes to be a successful foster family. The same things that you would want and desire for your own children.…
