I have spent the last year of my life figuring how to get to the next stage.....I decided that I wanted to give back and help people who didn't have all the advantages and love that I was raised with........

I decided to look at being a foster parent and today I have completed class #1.......I almost quit the class learning about the abuse many of these children have been taken from.......well I decided to at least complete the class and guess what....

THIS IS FOR ME.........I am gonna finish the training and become a foster mother.....

that's awesome xbit!

Congrats XXXBit, as I posted recently, you are one of the best people here.

Congratulations to you, xbit! Without being too big a sycophant, I know these foster kids are going to be lucky to have you as a foster mother.

Excellent. You're going to be a great foster mom.

thank you thank you


I am scheduled to complete class on Sept 7th.....then it should take a month for all the background checks to go through........then just sit and wait for fuck up parents to lose their kids......

but maybe by Oct the world will be a better place and won't need be....but i doubt it......


and when that happens I will have to post on my lap top after bedtime....

Thats awesome! Your awesome for wanting to help

There are classes to take to be a foster parent? Which state do you live in?

So proud of you, Xxxbit! I wish there weren't so many foster kids, but there are and someone like you will really make their lives better.

thanks Gia


Darrah yes there are classes....foster parents have to be licensed, the license requires 36 hours of training......I have to learn what to expect from foster parenting as well as understanding and helping kids who have experienced sexual abuse, physical abuse, abandonment, neglect and a host of other problems.......I do that as a teacher already but that is different if they are living in my home.....

I have to know my legal protections and obligations as well as financial compensation and programs....

i have to go through a background check...all other substitute care providers do as well....(if the kid will spend the night)....my home needs to be inspected ....i have to submit my vet records since I have a dog as well as undergo a physical from my doctor...

they don't just throw kids in any home with any person with room available....

and Darrah if you want to know what state I live in....investigate a bit......it is listed below my avatar.

Because every week here on the news I hear and read the local papers and foster children being raped, abused, and murdered by their foster parents. And other case where children were for whatever reason given to single men. Then after the child has been abused and raped for years by him, then it comes out in the media he's a convicted rapist or some other convicted violent offender. Was just shocked to see you say there are actually classes foster parents have to take when many seem to be foster parents only to get access to new victims or get that paycheck every month.

there are as I learned today have been required by federal law since 1997......I havn't heard of all those cases, at least not recently.....but keep in mind people lie .....there was a case here a few years back where a foster parent used the kids for identity theft purposes.........and had been convicted of that...but after investigating....the person lied about who she was ...i.e. she used a stolen identity to get foster kids.......shit happens......there will be lapses.....

that monthly paycheck is very small.....starting at $317.00 going to $411 if it is a teenager..... but i guess if you get enough kids you can have a nice income coming in........

my county may go above and beyond the federal requirements though I do know the need is so great that I am willing to bet that they don't scrutinize people the way they are supposed to do

That goes for you too, dude. Carry your love fest somewhere else.

Yeah, you're right. Sorry XXXBit.

Up here in Canada, it's even more stringent and lucrative at the same time.

I had to pass a background check, complete multiple interviews with social workers about why we wanted to foster/adopt and attend 80 hours of training. (8 Saturdays for training.) The training was easy and brutal at the same time. They brought in some foster kids to tell us some stories and answer some questions. Those were not some fun stories to hear. At all.

We were getting paid about $23.00 dollars a day to foster a little boy, but we've moved into the adoption phase now so we don't get paid any more. Kind of a shame as formula and diapers are expensive!

At any rate, it's extremely satisfying to see the little monster running around chasing the cats and seeing which of his new toys makes the biggest crash when he smashes it into our television.

Fenris

well done xxxbit.

This is a very positive thing to do. I hope you'll do well as a foster mother and I guess you will. I wish you a lot of succes and joy from doing this. Really great!

It's going to take a lot of patience but it will probably be very rewarding, especially years from now, when you know you've played a part in helping someone who needed help, attention and love. Hey, maybe you can adopt a kid - that's something I always found to be very commendable, especially when the kid has a disability or has suffered some trauma. I am almost verklempt - kudos and good luck.

^^^ No good thread goes unsullied by Darah.

Thought I would post an update since I had a few PMs inquiring....

The foster parenting went on hold back in Oct due to my mother having knee surgery......during that time I was in Chicago every weekend....therefore it wasn't the best time to take in a child in need.

When that was over then there was Christmas. In the middle of Jan I got a call telling me the FBI office in Madison lost my fingerprints and I needed to have them taken again.

Once that was all solved I waited about a week to get my license in the mail.

Well today I got a phone call for a 14 yr old female who along with her 2 siblings was being removed from her home due to neglect. (I found out that is all I will typically get)Immediately I was overcome with excitement and fear. Excitement as I have been waiting and ready to see if I can change a kids life...fear because I in effect will not know this stranger in my house who will probably still have incredible loyalty and love to their family and old enough to know how to run away and find their way back to the neglectful home. That and I still had not hidden my porn...

Well I informed that I would get another call once they had possession of the children. Well 30 minutes I received a call informing me that the girl was instead being placed with family who came to claim her.

So for now I continue to wait.

You're doing good work XXXBit.

Now hold on a second. Are you telling me that if I fill out some paperwork and apply then the government will send me a teenage girl?

Now that's what I call a bailout!!

In all seriousness, that is pretty cool of you.