[SarahLaughed]

It's been a while since I came to the forum - the first week of February we got notice that our application to become foster parents had been denied. I tossed out all the paperwork and deleted all the links I had bookmarked. I was devastated!

But today I was talking to a medical professional and she said that I should appeal. The reason they gave was unreasonable and she said she would help me with the appeal and even write a letter herself in support.

So, what do I do next?

[CaddoRose]

Let the medical professional write the letter in support and add to it any other professional type of people who have insight into your life that could also be supportive. If the reason was a medical one, then the agency/state(which ever you are using for the license) should be able to show you their rules that caused them to deny you. It's important that it was a rules violation and not just one person deciding based on their own bias. If you are using an agency, it possible that another agency doesn't have that rule. Find out if there is a way to fix the problem. Arrange a sit down meeting with the top person and bring your support letters.

[SarahLaughed]

We are in Ontario, using the Children's Aid Services - which I assume is provincial. I don't know if we have foster care agencies here like in the US?

[evansmum]

Which county are you in? I might be able to help you out. We are just outside Ottawa.

[SarahLaughed]

We are in Durham County, which is east of Toronto. If you could help, that would be wonderful! Thanks!

[SarahLaughed]

I've finally finished my appeal letter (though I may still tweak it here or there) I will be able to show it to the medical professional who said she would help me on Wednesday, and if she says it's OK, I will contact Children's Services to begin the process. I hope my letter is good enough to make them understand...

[CaddoRose]

So glad to hear you have done the letter. I hope everything works out well for you. You keep at them.

[SarahLaughed]

I showed my appeal letter to the health professional today and she loved it! She said she couldn't have written a better letter herself. Next step, email the social worker to get a name of a higher up to mail it to.

[SarahLaughed]

I get the feeling the foster parent social worker is not going to respond with her supervisor's name. How long would you wait? I emailed her last week on Wednesday and before this she always responded the very same day.

[MamaTo6]

google Durham ontario Childrens Aid society amd a page should come up with a list of people you will want to know ther names of.

We are in Hamilton.

Glad to hear you are going forward.

[SarahLaughed]

Thanks - I couldn't find a name but I found their main email address, and have sent my request to that email.

[SarahLaughed]

I am feeling ignored. It's been a week since I wrote to the social worker and 3 days since I wrote to the main email address - and no response.

I've been sick all this week but if no response by Friday, I will call their main number to see if they will give me a name that way.

[lifechange]

Good luck. I don't think you will get responses from emails sent to general mailboxes. I think your best option would be a voice to voice discussion with your social worker and explain your situation and the new support you have. End runs to the top generally aren't well received.