Becoming a Foster Parent

    Becoming a foster parent is an easier process than you may think. There are a few requirements in order to be a foster parent, including being at least 21 years old and passing background clearances. There are also some not so formal requirements like an open-minded, dependable, willing and patient attitude, and a tolerant approach when dealing with childcare. Having an open schedule and open heart will also be extremely helpful in the foster care system.
    As for actually becoming a foster parent, a foster care worker will inspect your home five to six times over a ten week period. During those visits, workers gather paperwork, interview the family members, inspect the home for safety, and fully explain the responsibilities of foster parenting. Training is also required prior to being certified, for example, my parents took a course where they attended a foster care class once a week for twelve weeks for their training.
    Anyone could so simply become a foster parent with the proper lifestyle and training. Consider what an amazing experience this would be!



                                
  site: http://www.breezynews.com/local/foster-parent-training-scheduled-central-mississippi

My Experience With Foster Care

     I've had lots of experience in the foster care field throughout my life. I've been dealing with foster care since I was 11. My family has gotten over a dozen placements; temporary, respite and adoptive cases. We have gotten children ranging from ages 0 to 12, all different races, all different personalities. Currently my family has 3 foster care, ages 0, 1 and 2: one adopted, two still in the system until we will hopefully be able to adopt them soon.
     My family is certified in foster care through GA Family Services ( http://www.gafamilyservices.net/foster-care-program.html ). We have gotten to know all the workers there and experience so much over the past several years. Watching so many awesome experiences happening now makes me so excited to look deeper into foster care in my future.

Why do children go into Foster Care?

      There are many reasons children are removed from their home to be placed into foster care. These are the average percentages and the average amount of children removed from their home for the most common reasons, from the most amount to the least amount in about a yearly span.

Neglect: 161,791 children, 61%

Drug Abuse Parent: 85,397 children, 32%

Caretaker's Inability: 37,243 children, 14%

Physical Abuse: 34,647 children, 13%
Child Behavior Problem: 30,124 children, 11%
Inadequate Housing: 27,002 children, 10%
Parent Incarceration: 21,006 children, 8%
Alcohol Abuse Parent: 14,978 children, 6%
Abandonment: 12,988 children, 5%
Sexual Abuse: 9,904 children, 4%
Drug Abuse Child: 6,273 children, 2%
Child Disability: 4,554 children, 2%
Relinquishment: 2,694 children, 1%
Parent Death: 2,212 children, 1%
Alcohol Abuse Child: 1,242 children, 1%
(note, these categories are not mutually exclusive, so percentages will total more than 100%)

    So many awful reasons for children being removed from their home and put into foster care can often be a terrible and scarring experience for a foster child. A pretty big percentage of youth are emancipated from foster care without reunifying with their families or being adopted. Of youth who age out of foster care, almost 1/4 are incarcerated within 2 years and a many do not graduate high school. Children and adolescents with foster care experience are diagnosed with PTSD at almost twice the rate of U.S. war veterans. With such saddening statistics, the foster care system needs support. You can help.
    Site: https://americanspcc.org/foster-care/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5qrXBRC3ARIsAJq3bwqkHFo4huz_gGGCqzrVtZybdm4UN3021H1yOhDX8e7GNy1xAikQKqkaAqZ1EALw_wcB