[MlynnBrrtt]

I am going to begin persuing a foster care liscence with in the next 18 months(I will be moving to a bigger place). I am not sure which type of foster care I would like to do. I have herd the greatest need is with pregnant teens? Is this true?

I have a few questions

First. I am just in my early twenties. While I could likley relate to teens on a closer level still being young....I also wonder about disiplin, chores, and what to call my foster "child". I think it might be hard to be an "authority figure" or that my foster "child" wouldn't take me seriousley enough to respect me & my home.

How long does the teen usually stay? Does the baby become a ward of the state after it's birth because the mother is in care? If so does the baby come back to the mothers foster home? Or is the child placed for adoption? If the baby does come home does the foster parent recieve extra funding...and if so is it the foster parents responsibility to purchase a crib, stroller, and all baby items. Are any items purchased with state money required to go with the foster child when they move out or are you allowed to keep those items.

Who is responsible for the care of the baby the foster child or the foster parent? Would the child be required to find employment to partially support the child?

What is the long term goal when fostering a pregnant teen? Is the goal reunion? Or do the kids stay in care with their kids until they age out of the system or until they can care for themselves?

[shy_bear]

In some areas you have to be X amount of years older than the child you are fostering. So that is something to ask.
IMO it is not a good idea to foster teens when you are young. We were mid-twenties when we had a 17 yr old fd. We were not experienced enough at all to deal with her. Being a child raised in the system or in a very unstalbe bio home is very different then being a typical teen. I would have a one on one with your cw and see what their thoughts are. We ultimately had this young lady removed from our home and our cw stated it prob. was not a good idea from the get go for her to have been placed with us b/c of the age factor.
Good luck to you.

[hubbyswife]

I agree w Shy... We didn't even have a teen... we had a 10yr old girl that we weren't ready..... Take baby steps in this process...

[jackiesbooks]

I would not foster any child that could not have been naturally yours. Most of these children have seen things well above there age. I think that a teenager would be VERY hard.