Foster Care FAQ
- Who
can become a foster parent ?
-
What are some basic home and
safety requirements ?
- What
do we need to do to become
foster parents ?
- What
are the qualifications for
becoming a foster parent ?
- What
are some issues I should think
about ?
An adult with a good support
system, a willingness to learn and
the ability to make a long-term
parenting commitment is a good
candidate for foster care.
You may be able to bring a child
into your home:
-
If you can love, understand, and
accept a child to whom you did not
give birth.
-
If you are in good health.
-
Whether or not you have other
children.
-
Whether you are single, married
or have a life partner.
As a Foster Parent, you will work
as part of a team with social
workers, counselors, and school
staff. You will be responsible
for providing or arranging 24-hour
supervision for your foster child.
As a foster parent, you will also be
responsible for keeping up with the
child's progress in school, keeping
doctor's appointments and counseling
appointments, and getting the child
involved in age-appropriate
recreational activities.
- Foster child can share a bedroom
with a same-gender child or have
their own bedroom
- Foster child must have his
or her own bed
- No more then 4 children
per bedroom
- No more then 6 children
total living in a foster home
- Children younger then 5
years old must sleep on the same
floor of the home as an adult
- Foster child's bedroom
must have a door that closes and a
window that measures at least 20" x
24"
- There must be smoke
detectors and carbon monoxide
detectors on every floor of the home
- Medicines and toxic
substances must be kept out of the
reach of children or locked up
- Peeling paint must be
removed or tested for lead
Our foster parents come from a
variety of ethnic backgrounds, are
working or homemakers, single
parents or married, and all are
concerned about the welfare of the
children of Connecticut.
To become a foster parent, you
must.....
- Have an interview at our
office
- Complete the licensing
paperwork given to you at your
interview
- Attend our 4-day
Therapeutic Foster Parent Training.
CRI's foster parents come from a
variety of racial and ethnic
backgrounds. They may have
children of thier own or experience
working with children. Some
are working parents while others are
homemakers or retired. All of
our foster families are making a
difference in the life of a child
who needs them.
The qualifications for becoming a
foster parent:
- 21 years of age or older
- Own a car and have a valid
driver's license
- Have a working telephone
- Have a clear criminal
record
- Free from communicable
diseases
- Have a job or means of
supporting yourself
- Have experience working
with children
- Do not operate a
home-based daycare or currently have
a foster care license with another
agency
To become licensed as a foster
parent through Community Residences,
Inc. you must:
- Have an interview at our
Southington or Colchester office
- Complete the licensing
paperwork given to you at your
interview
- Attend our four-day
Therapeutic Foster Parent Training
- Have a home study and
safety inspection of your home
- As you consider being a foster
parent, here are some issues to
think about.....
- Can you and your family
adapt to the changes that adding
another child to your family will
create? (more doctor's
appointments and after school
activities, more laundry and chores,
etc)
- Is the rest of the
family also committed to accepting
and helping the foster child? (you
will always need the emotional
support of your family and friends,
and another babysitter never hurts!)
- Are you comfortable
allowing social workers, counselors,
and other members of your foster
child's support team into your
lives?
- Can you be patient
and understanding of the foster
child's needs? (their emotional
baggage- anger, confusion, fear,
rejection; their values and habits
that are different from yours)