[lvmykidz]

We are in our second year of fostering.
Our first year we didn't keep track really of clothing reciepts or expect to be reimbursed for anything because we had an ICPC in place for a child we were hoping to adopt. That fell apart.
Since then, we have had several foster children in our care and have been keeping clothing receipts.
I was reading in the manual that once a year (I think it's probably in June) you get reimbursed for $200 a year.
Is this per child? Do you just had in $200's worth of reciepts? Do you hand it into licensing?
Thanks for any info.

[Sam-N-Tony]

I haven't heard of that. Maybe that specifically in your county. But I would assume that it would be per child. If you were to hand it in, I would think it would be the agency to where you get your stipend from. In my county, I'm licensed with one agency but paid from another.

[FLSun1]

I am in Central Florida. How it worked here last year is, with July's payment they sent me an extra check for $200. There was a letter that stated each school age child would receive $200-$300 for clothing (depending on their age), if they had been in care at least 30 days. Foster parents were to buy back to school clothing with that check and then give the receipts to the cw. That is the only time I have received any type of clothing allowance. All the clothes I bought for fc throughout the rest of the year came out of the monthly board check. Hope that helps.
FlSun

[lvmykidz]

In our manual where it states board payments it says "annual FC clothing allowance" 0-4 ages receive $200 and 5-18 rec $300.
A little farther along it says that we should spend $35 month for younger children which is to come out of our board rate.
So, I guess it is per child---and that they reimburse you for about 1/2 of what they expect you to pay per year.
Which is ok with us...just wanted to know if I was understanding it correctly and how you go about getting that allowance.
I was curious how it all works. I had a foster child in my care for 3 months. Would they only reimburse me the $35 x's 3? But if I had to spend $150 because he came with absolutely nothing...would they not reimburse that amount? I'm thinking they probably wouldn't because what about the next foster parents that received him (we had him moved).
Probably a question I should just verify with someone at the coalition=)
Thanks for your replies!

[AmahMama]

Per our Agency: "The annual allowance isn't supposed to be a reimbursement. The monthly allotment for clothing ($35 you say) is to come out of the monthly board payment. The annual is to be spent in addition to it with receipts kept and copies sent to the Agency. They made it in August (and I believe it's in care for over 6 months) so that children of school age will have decent school clothing, jackets, shoes, scivvies, etc."

Sometimes if a child has NOTHING, I get a gift card to Wallys for $50 to get basics but I usually don't even get that. I got the last gift cards with a sibling placement because the cw didn't get the WIC checks from the shelter they were in and the shelter shredded them (and WIC does NOT issue new ones) Since we do short term - and are not here in August - we NEVER get the lump sum clothing allowance and when I asked about it this was the explaination that I received.

If you want a real answer, call the cw and ask, then call the licensing worker and ask, then call your financial worker and ask, and decide which answer you like better - because you will get 3 different ones - hehe.