Kyler Laird
August 16th 03, 01:22 PM
I've been meaning to do this for a long time. This week I was
finally going to go down to our FSSA office and have a chat. I
failed. So...I'm venting and trying to take another step
toward becoming a volunteer instead of just putting it off like
I have before.
My wife and I have busy lives but we often do things that I
think would be fun to share with children. We're not up to
providing (long-term) foster care, but we'd like to provide
some special time for some children in foster care.
I realize that some volunteers are more hassle than they're
worth. I also know that I know next to nothing about foster
care (although I've been lurking here for awhile so I know that
DCF people are horrible monsters...or at least in 60% of all
cases...or something like that...). I want to be a help, not a
hindrance. This should be a treat for everyone involved and not
just disrupt an established routine.
I found some old articles which seem appropriate for what I think
we'd like to do.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=378226D6.C7447944%40JAMjavanet.com&output=gplain
There are various types for fostering also. You could provide respite. We did
that for several years. With respite, the kids (I call them kids also) come to
stay with you for a weekend or maybe a week at a time. Typically, you would have
the same kids for a period of time. Respite gives the foster parents and the
kids a chance to be away from each other.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=376E56C4.89311ECB%40javanet.com&output=gplain
So I checked into it and I found that you had to be a foster
parent in order to do an overnight.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=8cvvjn%24am7%241%40slb2.atl.mindspring .net&output
=gplain
My husband and I have just completed our classes and had our final DHR visit
yesterday. We are very excited and nervous. We do not have children, but
we do have children in our home all the time through community volunteer
programs. We have volunteered as a weekend respite home for several years
and we must be doing a good job because the children call us to visit. The
joy we get from the kids that come to us in this program is what has given
us the courage to try fostering. If this goes well we will consider
adoption.
Awhile ago I spoke with a family friend who is active in foster
parent advocacy. He recommended that we become certified as
foster parents. From these articles it sounds like sometimes
that is necessary and sometimes it's not. I wouldn't mind
going through it, but I wonder if I'll get a bad reaction if I
say I want foster care training and certification even though we
do not intend on being foster parents.
Is our local FSSA office the place to start? Do I just walk in
and say "I'd like to explore the possibility of providing
respite care" or should I do more research on my own first?
Does the FSSA know everyone providing foster care in the area or
are private organizations separate?
I'm also curious about the limitations on travel with children
in foster care. We often fly out of state even for day trips.
Is crossing the state line likely to be a problem? (I really
wanted to take some kids with us up to Airventure in Oshkosh
last month.)
Any thoughts? I know that the bottom line is probably that I
need to get in and chat with the folks at FSSA. But I'd like
to be prepared so that I'm not wasting their time.
Thank you.
--kyler
finally going to go down to our FSSA office and have a chat. I
failed. So...I'm venting and trying to take another step
toward becoming a volunteer instead of just putting it off like
I have before.
My wife and I have busy lives but we often do things that I
think would be fun to share with children. We're not up to
providing (long-term) foster care, but we'd like to provide
some special time for some children in foster care.
I realize that some volunteers are more hassle than they're
worth. I also know that I know next to nothing about foster
care (although I've been lurking here for awhile so I know that
DCF people are horrible monsters...or at least in 60% of all
cases...or something like that...). I want to be a help, not a
hindrance. This should be a treat for everyone involved and not
just disrupt an established routine.
I found some old articles which seem appropriate for what I think
we'd like to do.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=378226D6.C7447944%40JAMjavanet.com&output=gplain
There are various types for fostering also. You could provide respite. We did
that for several years. With respite, the kids (I call them kids also) come to
stay with you for a weekend or maybe a week at a time. Typically, you would have
the same kids for a period of time. Respite gives the foster parents and the
kids a chance to be away from each other.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=376E56C4.89311ECB%40javanet.com&output=gplain
So I checked into it and I found that you had to be a foster
parent in order to do an overnight.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=8cvvjn%24am7%241%40slb2.atl.mindspring .net&output
=gplain
My husband and I have just completed our classes and had our final DHR visit
yesterday. We are very excited and nervous. We do not have children, but
we do have children in our home all the time through community volunteer
programs. We have volunteered as a weekend respite home for several years
and we must be doing a good job because the children call us to visit. The
joy we get from the kids that come to us in this program is what has given
us the courage to try fostering. If this goes well we will consider
adoption.
Awhile ago I spoke with a family friend who is active in foster
parent advocacy. He recommended that we become certified as
foster parents. From these articles it sounds like sometimes
that is necessary and sometimes it's not. I wouldn't mind
going through it, but I wonder if I'll get a bad reaction if I
say I want foster care training and certification even though we
do not intend on being foster parents.
Is our local FSSA office the place to start? Do I just walk in
and say "I'd like to explore the possibility of providing
respite care" or should I do more research on my own first?
Does the FSSA know everyone providing foster care in the area or
are private organizations separate?
I'm also curious about the limitations on travel with children
in foster care. We often fly out of state even for day trips.
Is crossing the state line likely to be a problem? (I really
wanted to take some kids with us up to Airventure in Oshkosh
last month.)
Any thoughts? I know that the bottom line is probably that I
need to get in and chat with the folks at FSSA. But I'd like
to be prepared so that I'm not wasting their time.
Thank you.
--kyler