[Free_to_be_me]

Hi. I am not usually in the Foster Parent section of these forums, but I think I might be looking around a bit. I just started a new job. I am working for a private non-profit agency that works with Child Protection Services in placing children in foster homes. My agency works with kids and (I believe) provides additional services that CPS may not. My caseload is only 6 children, so I will be having time to get to know each child, his or her situation and his or her progress quite well.

My question for all of you is: What types of things would be most helpful for me to do? How can I help and support the foster parents I work with the most? Is there anything specifically that you think I should or should not do?

I really appreciate any advice you have to offer.

Free_to_be_me

[AmyAnne]

Be willing to help them find respite when and if they need it. Be available to listen when they need to vent. Help your foster parents not to feel guilty about needing a break, losing their cool, or getting mad at their kids.

A clothing/kid supply swap area might be a cool thing... one family who's kid just grew her size 6 dresses might save another family a lot of time and trouble if they were able to swap clothes out.

[waiting home]

great idea about the clothes swap!!!!

If there is one worker out there who would return phone calls in a timely matter YOU WOULD BE A GOD SEND and probably voted caseworker of the century!

It would be very helpful for you to be understanding that when most foster parents call, it's for a very important reason and we need contact right away (as reasonably possible of course). I feel sometimes that some caseworkers think we call just to chit chat or something or waste their time. Heck no, we are too busy.

When we call we need you!!!!

Thanks for listening.

[Free_to_be_me]

Thanks for the ideas. I appreciate hearing them and will do my best to follow them.

Our agency is talking about requiring respite one weekend a month in general, with exceptions being allowed if a family and child really don't need it.

The clothes swap is a really good idea. I am pretty sure there isn't one, but I will try to find out.

One committment to my job and my families that I have made is that I am going to return messages as soon as I possibly can-one reason is that as soon as I do it I can cross it off my list. The more important reason is because if there is an emergency, it needs to take priority over paperwork and office stuff.

Thanks a lot for the input. Anything else you want to share will also be appreciated.

Free_

[momofmykids]

RETURN PHONE CALLS!!! We've had a worker in the past and the woman was quite honest that she did not check voice mail and did not return calls. I know she is very overworked, but GOOD GRIEF!!

[gclvaruba]

First off thank you for taking enough interest to actually ask for ideas. Yes, the contact is important! Also do try to be available via email. Sometimes for working parents it is much easier to get to a computer than to a telephone for a private conversation. You too could probably type an email to a fparent and take care of other business like phone calls, at the same time.

The clothing swap is a fantastic idea! I just gave 5 pairs of jeans to Good Will. Those jeans were only worn a few months last year and although they will still be put to good use, I would rather a foster family have had first dibs. Also keep a little bit of inventory for new foster families. When our dd came to us, she had only rags. Thankfully relatives were extremely generous in purhasing new clothes and there was a liberal clothing allotment. It was obvious no one had taken the time to spend the money. It was easier for them to have the kid walk around in rags.

Even if you do not have enough families to do respite, there is another thing you could do. Our county had a couple of church groups volunteer a couple of Saturdays a year for a Saturday DAY respite. Important Saturdays too, the first one in December- presumably to be used for holiday shopping, Saturday before Easter- dh and I went together shopping for a basket and chocolates. There was another Saturday, dh and I took in a Saturday afternoon movie that was NOT rated G or PG The volunteers had a member of DFCS with them or a CASA. Days were fully planned, I believe 10 am to 5 pm. There were arts and crafts, games, movies, lunch, playtime and other activities.

Believe me every little bit helps. Make sure your families have all of the resources, especially financial, available to them that are actually there for their use. We all want the best for our kids. How much money do they have for a clothing allotment? What is the balance on the allotment? We had to ask about summer camp, but DFCS gladly paid for three weeks of science camp, they also offered to pay for swimming lessons!

By resources, I also mean information. Great example was we did respite for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I had to drive the two girls roundtrip to school on two different days. Half hour each way, I have no idea of the miles. DFCS would have paid us for the mileage, but not only did we need to provide the exact miles driven, but the actual odometer reading. Gee, with the cost of gas... if they had only told us BEFORE hand!

[kaylasmom]

Calling us back asap, and giving us a cell # for emergancy's would be nice. As far as this cloth's idea, I have put lots of thought into it. I'm from californa, and out here we have a welfare to work program, and the ppl in it get a 25$ vocher to spend at the good will. We also have these second hand baby stores, my idea is that when a child comes into the system and is put in a emergancy home we get a 25$ cert to buy clothes. What would be great is if it is ran by and for fosterparents. If we donated clothes we would get to spend so much at this store. The only ones to get things free, would be the emergancy babies under 5. and even at that it would only be 20, or 25$ just enough to get them through. I believe our kids are MORE important them theses welfar ppl, yet they have to wait to get there clothing allowence. If we could get this started I bet alot of fosterparents would support it.
gently used cloths, toys, strollers, beds bedding, everything a fosterparent could use, but at prices WE can afford.

[jackiesbooks]

Just be professional! Phone calls return the same day. Know your children and families. be open to venting - sometimes that is all I need.