Being a foster parent is not an easy. It can be hard to balance the various seasons of your own professional and personal life. As kids come in and out, it can take a toll on your resources and emotional capacity. Additionally, when you say "yes" you don't know how long the child will be with you. The average time a child spends in care is 17 months, so your "yes" can sometimes be a long term commitment.
It's OK to get on the phone and talk with your licensing worker or agency about switching courses and establishing new boundaries.
If this is happening to you, here are some ways to still support kids in care:
- You can offer respite in a variety of ways. There is random one-off respite care you can provide for foster families, or you can offer continuous respite care on a monthly basis (for example).
- Getting matched for adoption or guardianship is another way to support kids in care, and the ups and downs of foster care is not for everyone. If you are open to providing a life-long commitment, a matching program could be for you. I always recommend listening to adoptees as you navigate this path.
- Lastly, it is OK and you won’t find any shame or guilt from me if you decide to close your home. I know there is usually a desire to continue to help and support the community. By mentoring or volunteering for programs like CASA, you can still help kids in care, without them living with you.
As always feel free to share your experiences and how you support kids in care outside of traditional foster parenting! ⬇️
Looking for more? I offer 1:1 DM support (plus checklists and templates) on Patreon for as little as $1. [ Ссылка ]
Find Me on Social Media:
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
Tiktok: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
