Why do we need foster parents?
There are
between 100,000 and 120,000 children
in foster care in California. These children have
been removed from their families due to neglect and/or abuse.
Some children have no one to care for them. These children need
a home where the adults are trained to deal with their specific
needs. The problem of finding these children a home is at a
crisis level. There just aren't enough families stepping forward
to provide this foster family experience. Our agency continually
has to turn children away because we do not have foster family
homes available. We need to find homes where children
can find direction in their lives.
Who are the children in foster care?
All of the children in our care come from traumatic backgrounds,
possibly having experienced emotional, physical and/or sexual
abuse. They are all in need of special attention and care.
Children who are temporarily separated from their families
due to abuse or neglect and who enter the foster care system
include:
-
school-age children who need extra help in getting
along with others, school work, and feeling good about
themselves;
-
infants who have special feeding and medical problems;
-
brothers and sisters who should stay together;
-
children with developmental or physical disabilities;
-
children with emotional problems;
-
children who need families that are sensitive to and
respectful of their culture;
-
teenagers who have not experienced positive family
life and now need extra patience and commitment; and
-
children of all ages, sizes, backgrounds and
experiences that need love
What are the
ages of the children?
Covenant
Foster Care serves children from 0-18 years of age. The
majority of our placements range from 10-18 years of age.
Who are foster families?
Foster
families are people who enjoy parenting and who are willing to
share their homes, time, energy, and love with children who have
special problems because of abuse and neglect. You can become a
foster parent with Covenant Foster Care if you:
-
are at least 21 years old;
-
are financially able to provide for your present
needs;
-
permit a fire and health inspection of your home;
-
are single, married, divorced, or widowed;
-
attend required training sessions;
-
consent to criminal record and child abuse registry
checks;
-
are willing to meet with a social worker to determine
if fostering is appropriate for you and your family;
-
A team player who will work closely with the staff in
carrying out treatment plans;
-
are committed to helping a child succeed through your
care, love, and guidance;
-
are willing to work with your
Covenant Foster Care to meet a child's needs and to ensure
that the child has a permanent family by reunifying the
child with his or her birth family or, possibly, through
adoption.
What are the steps to becoming a certified family home?
Complete the Foster Family Certification Process. Generally, the
process is divided into the following categories:
-
Initial Orientation
-
Application completed - Document preparation and gathering
-
Fingerprints submitted
-
Telephone interview
-
Home
visit and orientation
-
CFC
pre-certification training
-
Home study and inspection
How long does the certification process take?
That depends on several things. The criminal history clearances
are done by agencies other than ours and the time varies.
Sometimes the references given take some time to come back. You
will be working with a social worker during the training
sessions and that person will follow through the whole process
with you, keeping you posted on what still needs to be done. The
process usually takes about six weeks. We are just as anxious as
you are to keep the process moving as we want to place children
in loving, happy homes.
How can I help speed up the process?
The most helpful way is to complete all of the forms and
requirements as soon as possible. First, complete the Foster
Family application packet. You will also need to have your
fingerprints “livescanned” at the Sheriff’s Department or
another facility (our staff will give you the forms and
instructions). Don’t forget to submit a health screening/TB
test, proof of auto insurance and a DMV printout.
After we are certified, what support can we expect from the
agency?
You will
be required to complete 24 hours of in-service training per year
per person in order to stay certified. We offer training in
various forms once per month at our Foster Parent Support
meeting where you will meet other foster families. The entire
staff at Covenant Foster Care will be working hard to make the
foster experience a good one for you and for the children you
serve. Additionally, we offer 24 hour support!
What is the time commitment for pre-service training?
Even if you have raised children already, caring for foster
children can be different. The training is comprehensive and
interactive, stressing the tools that will help you understand
how to meet the needs of children in foster care. It will
require a commitment of at least 12 hours; however, the
individual trainer sets the schedule according to the need of
the group and each family.
All potential foster parents must complete CPR (cardio-pulmonary
resuscitation) training and First Aid. The CPR training must
include infant, child and adult certification. In addition, if
you have a body of water on the grounds of your home, you must
complete the water safety course provided by various local
agencies.
Where do the children who need foster care come from?
Sometimes, as
a result of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or death in a family,
courts decide that children must be temporarily separated from
their families. These children come from all cultural and
economic groups; but, in many communities, children of color are
over-represented in the foster care system.
How much information does a foster family or agency receive
about a child? Do we have a say as to whether or not we feel
comfortable accepting a specific child?
Yes! Someone
from the CFC team will contact the foster family and share the
background information we have received regarding a child, as
well as the child’s current situation and any special needs.
Each foster family is encouraged to ask questions and express
their feelings regarding placement and the child’s behaviors or
needs. Remember, we are partners in this endeavor and we only
want to fulfill our mission –“providing hope and love to abused
and neglected children." This means that you are a key part of
every decision – especially placement.
How long is "temporary"?
A child's
stay in foster care may be as short as overnight or as long as
it takes to achieve a permanent plan for the child. The first
goal most often considered is to reunite the family if possible.
Typically, the children we place in Covenant Foster Homes remain
with a family for 6 months to 18 months.
The length a
child is in a foster home is determined on an individual basis.
Some children may only need short-term care, usually 12 months
or less. Other children may need a longer more permanent
placement, which may be to the age of 18.
Can foster parents work outside the home?
Working
people can be certified as foster parents. Each child's
situation must be evaluated individually. Some children have
needs that require a full-time at-home parent.
Do the children have contact with their biological (birth)
parent(s)?
Reunification is our ultimate goal. Still, reunification is not
the norm in child welfare. Usually, children are adopted or
remain in long term foster care. Although this is unfortunate,
we believe we are here to “serve foster children and their
families for success.” This means working with the biological
family until it is no longer possible. The process is taken
slowly. If and when it is appropriate for a foster child to
begin having visits with his/her natural family, the therapist
and case manager will coordinate the visits. The progression
moves from supervised visits to approved unsupervised visits, to
an overnight stay or longer.
Is financial assistance available?
Each Covenant
foster family will receive a set reimbursement to help with the
expenses while a child is in their home. All children have
medical and dental coverage while in foster care that is
provided by the State. Covenant Foster Care has a state-assigned
rate, which varies depending on the age of the child.
How can the
financial assistance be used?
The financial
assistance provided is to support the care and maintenance of
the foster child. The normal expenses include: food, clothing,
personal hygiene supplies, allowance, school supplies,
childcare, recreation, transportation, housing and utilities.
What are the rewards of becoming a foster family?
Covenant
Foster families can expect many rewards:
-
a sense of accomplishment;
-
the chance to help children feel good about
themselves;
-
pride in doing a meaningful and important job;
-
challenging experiences;
-
the opportunity to meet and work with new people;
-
a chance to use special talents and knowledge;
-
fulfilling God’s calling in your life;
-
fulfilling the Biblical mandate of James 1:27; and
-
the opportunity to make a lifetime of difference in a
short time.
What are the
responsibilities of a Covenant foster parent?
Covenant
foster parents have an important role as members of the
treatment team. Some of the expectations are to:
-
provide a safe, caring, healthy home environment
-
maintain
open communication with Covenant Foster Care staff
-
work
closely with our therapeutic staff on treatment issues and
follow case plans
-
participate regularly in training programs
-
keep your
child’s and your home file up to date with case notes,
health information, etc.
-
provide
normal transportation for health care, school functions,
clothes shopping, etc.
-
assist
each child in setting and reaching goals
-
provide
adult supervision of children in the foster home
I am
interested in foster parenting, where do I go from here?
Please
contact us at (661) 326-8304. We will
answer any further questions you have, set an appointment for a
personal orientation, and guide you through the certification
process.
Thank you for
considering partnering with Covenant Community Services to fulfill our
mission of “Providing hope and love to abused and neglected
children."
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