Should You Become A Licensed Foster Parent?
Posted on: 18 June 2021
In most states, if you want to become a foster parent, you first have to go through a licensing process. This process involves lots of paperwork and home visits to ensure that you are capable of fostering children in a safe and healthy environment. The licensing process can be extensive. So, before you send in your first applications, you should spend plenty of time thinking about whether foster parenting is truly right for you. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you make this decision.
Do you have the patience to deal with challenging and trying situations?
Every foster child is different. While some foster children are pretty well adjusted, many others do come with challenges of their own. Remember, many of these kids have just moved away from their birth parents, and that alone can be traumatic. To be a good foster parent, you need to have the patience to deal with new and different situations that may be challenging. If you are someone who is in good control of your emotions and tends to remain calm in the face of adversity, this is a sign you should seek licensing as a foster parent.
Do you have a good support system?
In other words, do you have friends and family members who can be there for you when things get hard? Fostering children does come with its own frustrations. Even if it's just sadness when you have to say goodbye to one of your fosters, it's important to know that you have somewhere to go and someone to listen to you. While single parents can make excellent foster parents, you do need to be extra sure you have a good support network if your goal is to foster as a single parent.
How do you feel about having social workers in your home?
If you do choose to go through the foster licensing process, there will be social workers visiting to evaluate your home. And then, once you are fostering kids, you will probably have more social workers visiting to check in on them. If this makes you feel really anxious or uneasy, then getting licensed may not be for you.
Becoming a licensed foster parent can be really rewarding, but it's not easy. If you decide this is right for you, then that's awesome. For more information about foster parent licensing, contact a local professional in this field.
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