[1withopenarms]

Hello everyone! We just recently signed all the contracts and have been offically opened as a NYS foster home. We are going through Berkshire Farms and would like to provide care for children 0-6years. My question is, How long did it take after recieveing your license before you recieved you first call? I've posted this before but no one responded.

[crystalp]

It really depends on where you are. I've heard so many people getting placements the month, week, or even the day of them getting licensed. But, then there are people like me. We have been licensed for 4 months for 2 kids 0-2 and still haven't gotten a placement. Mostly because in the area we live in, family steps up for the little kids. There are some days where I'm just SO READY for a placement and it just feels like it's never going to happen!!! But, I know it will. Good luck! No matter how long it takes for you to get a placement, congratulations on being a foster parent!

[snc2007]

I'm not in NY, but we got the first call the day we signed! I was so shocked. I saw the number on the caller id and thought that it was our sw with a question about our paperwork. A day old baby was here two hours later! After that placement we waited about two months and then got two calls the same day. Go figure!

[basimah]

I think it all really depends on what type of child you are open to and how busy your agency is. I actually called my case manger to find out when I could expect to receive my approval letter in the mail and was asked to come in the following day to discuss a possible placement. Now if they would have called on their own...who knows. But this is the perfect time of year to see if they need any help doing things for the kids like wrapping gifts or helping at any holiday parties. It will keep you in their mind, especially being new.

[HappyHopefulMommy]

We were doing fost/adopt and are in CA. But we waited 6 months and wanted a sib set of 2 - 3 under 8. We were placed with 3 kids, 3, 5 and 6. Then 4 months later got their 2 year old brother. Good luck and be patient.

[CaddoRose]

I'm in Texas. I got two calls, one of which went somewhere else and another I turned down because the baby had medical issues I didn't feel qualified to care for. The first came within a week of being licensed and the other one the next week. We got our current placement within four weeks of the actual license being granted.

[c.a]

I think we accepted our first placement a few weeks after our license was approved. There are so many factors: who your worker is, what placements come in, whether family steps up, your limits (age, gender, medical issues, etc.), which workers are on vacation, who knows you, availability of collateral resources (i.e. a foster home near to the child's school/daycare might be a better placement - or if they are afraid of the parent knowing where the child is - a foster home in another school district may be a better choice).

Relax - go out to dinner. Do some "grown up" things that you won't be able to do so easily once you accept a placement.

Good luck.

[1withopenarms]

Thanks everyone! We actually were suppost to participate in a foster parent dinner this past Tuesday as a way to get to know other parents and workers but monday night ended with a trip to the emergency room with my youngest (19 months), she had spiked a fever of 104.3 so we took her in and found out that she had a severe UTI that was into her kidneys. I didn't leave her side until friday when she came home so of course we didn't go to the dinner. As for lic. we are a theraputic home which is the highest for or area and can take up to 4 children. After reading some of the responses I'm thinking that I'll call on Monday and offer to volenteer in some way so we can meet some of the other workers. Thanks again.