[Joy2566]

I got a letter today from my agency, warning us about "double dipping." Apparently, we are not supposed to use WIC or free school lunches (even though foster children are automatically eligible for both) because our per diem is supposed to pay for the children's food. We also are not supposed to subject the children to the "stigma" of recieving free lunches at school

We are not allowed to shop at a thrift store, as they need a positive shopping experience and not dress in a different manner than their peers.

We are not supposed to allow the children to participate in government funded summer youth programs because we "want to model and teach our children that they do not need to rely on government run programs for employment." It is supposed to be the foster parent's responsibility to help the children apply for a job in competitive employment.

There are just so many things I could say about this. I'm particularly annoyed at the summer work program. My son has worked for this program for two years. He is profoundly deaf and started when he was 15. Where else could he get a job at 15, where they were willing to train him and accomadate his hearing/communication issues. They also train him in different job skills. The job coach meets with him throughout the school year and takes him to various places to explore potential carreer choices. She has been a great resource, and he gets to work 40 hours a week for the summer, but has the school year off, so he can focus on school. But I guess I must be wrong about it being a good program, since it is government funded.

[sergekel]

Wow, foster parents aren't supposed to use WIC or free school lunch??

I live in a small,rural area and a high majority of the kids here are on Medicaid, WIC, food stamps and receive free lunches. Any foster kids would fit right in, not stand out??

As for the thrift store shopping.....I can see not wanting them to ONLY have thrift store stuff...but I'll tell you, our whole family loves places like GoodWill, etc...and we find nicer clothes and better brand names there than we would ever get at Wal-Mart brand new.

Our kids absolutely love going to these kinds of places because they're fun and because they can get lots of stuff and we don't have to say no to everything they want.

Sheesh. These kids are wards of the state. Why on earth wouldn't they be eligible for government-funded programs is beyond me.

[mommamarci]

Gosh, what state are you in? I specifically asked our CW about WIC and she said we absolutely can and should get it to cover formula once we have a baby placement. And they told us in our classes to shop at thrift stores. They said you can still find good name brand stuff and stretch the per diem or clothing allowance.

That is crazy!

[mommytoEli]

i think sometimes these rules are made by people who do not know how much it costs to raise children. in CA, i spent twice as much as i received almost every month.

[mamallama]

That is not the case in our state. Our worker told us that we should get WIC.

[chevyjewel]

Here in MN we are encouraged to get WIC, for baby formula anyway.

I've also gotten nothing but praise when shopping at thrift stores for kiddos clothing - something I do for everyone in our family anyway. Everything I buy is name brand and looks brand new. Children's Place, Gymboree, Baby GAP, Old Navy, Columbia and LL Bean are what my kiddos are currently outfitted in for half the cost of off brand Walmart stuff that falls apart, shrinks to unfit, or stains after wearing and washing it a few times. They're not dressed any differently than their peers, they're dressed better if anything!

And I have no clue how any of those peers at a childs school would know they are recieving "free" lunches. It's not like that info is made public.


I would be super upset about all that if I were you!!! What craziness!!!

[waited2long]

If being a Fosterchild is what qualifies a child for these services, how can the agency claim you should not use them?

I think that would be considered against the child's legal rights.

There has to be somebody you can contact about this, it is wrong. Maybe call your local Child Protection Services? Better yet, inform the media. I'm serious, this is a major infringement of the rights of children in Fostercare.

[JGarrick]

Who's running your agency, Paris Hilton?

I'd send a reply quoting the laws that make the foster kids eligible for WIC and free lunches.

Then ask them to quote the laws that say you're not allowed to shop at thrift stores or send your kids to government run summer programs.

They need to follow the law that governs their programs, not their own personal political agenda.

[deadcalm]

The Formular is a lot of money, so I need WIC. As for their clothes, I buy Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Dolce and Cabana and Juicy Coutour all of Ebay. These clothes are used, but in EXCELLENT condition. When they grow out of them, I placed them right back on Ebay. There is nothing wrong with government programs. That is what they are there for, to help people in need.

[EandDmom]

Originally Posted by Joy2566

I got a letter today from my agency, warning us about "double dipping." Apparently, we are not supposed to use WIC or free school lunches (even though foster children are automatically eligible for both) because our per diem is supposed to pay for the children's food. We also are not supposed to subject the children to the "stigma" of recieving free lunches at school

We are not allowed to shop at a thrift store, as they need a positive shopping experience and not dress in a different manner than their peers.

We are not supposed to allow the children to participate in government funded summer youth programs because we "want to model and teach our children that they do not need to rely on government run programs for employment." It is supposed to be the foster parent's responsibility to help the children apply for a job in competitive employment.

There are just so many things I could say about this. I'm particularly annoyed at the summer work program. My son has worked for this program for two years. He is profoundly deaf and started when he was 15. Where else could he get a job at 15, where they were willing to train him and accomadate his hearing/communication issues. They also train him in different job skills. The job coach meets with him throughout the school year and takes him to various places to explore potential carreer choices. She has been a great resource, and he gets to work 40 hours a week for the summer, but has the school year off, so he can focus on school. But I guess I must be wrong about it being a good program, since it is government funded.

That is insane!! I would still use the summer work program for all the reasons you listed. I'd actually still do everything they said you couldn't do. How are they going to know where you shop if you don't tell them? We go to goodwill at least twice a month. My kids all wear clothes that are name brand and look brand new. Every pair of jeans the boys have are levi and adorable. They have so many clothes I barely have room for them in their drawers and closet there is no way I could afford to buy them that many new clothes. They love going there because they know I will buy just about everything they pick out because I can afford it. Where else could I spend $100 and walk out with a shopping cart full to over flowing with brand name clothes? Doesn't the state requirements overturn the agencies say so? We use wic. Yes, we could afford to not use it but they qualify and it is theirs so we use it. That frees up my grocery money to buy better cuts of meat and lots and lots of yogurt and fresh fruit that we go through like crazy.

[CaddoRose]

If it were me, I would find out if that is a state mandated requirement or some crazy person at the agency who doesn't know what the bleepity bleep they are talking about. We are told about every government program that they know about to get help for our kids, whether that is WIC or community clothes closet or the food pantry. These kids need every bit of help they can get and to deny them that help(and the help to you as a parent) is simply insanity. Why would anyone deny a summer camp experience because it is a government program? And just how do they know if you shop in the thrift store? I would be making big waves about this one.

[SarahBethsMommy]

That whole thing is idiotic! I can't believe they'd say you aren't providing them with the best if you are shopping at GoodWill or such stores. I have a youth group full of well off teenagers who ONLY buy things at goodwill because it is "cool" to do so. Wouldn't this be putting these kids at a disadvantage in an area like that?

As for WIC, we've always been encouraged to get it. I mean I couldn't even BEGIN to afford Lil Buddy's food without it even with his stipend. Ridiculous. Call everyone you can think to call and complain. Send lots of emails and if that doesn't work... contact the media.

[ca-bigsister]

I would put that letter away and pretend I never got it and keep doing what I was doing. You know, the mail these days. . . . . . . In California, foster children automatically get Medical (state insurance) and meal tickets without any proof of income.

[brighteyes810]

Originally Posted by JGarrick

Who's running your agency, Paris Hilton?

I couldn't have said this better myself!

In our state, when you go through an agency, you deal with your agency caseworker, but the FK's still have a state caseworker. Is that the case with you? If it is, you could ask the state CW about this, as they have ultimate say in what happens with the FK, above and beyond what the agency has told you.

And, I think in our state the agencies contract with the state. I know of a particular (very big) agency that our past CW had problems with, and she said the state almost stopped contracting with them due to different problems. It was apparently a really big deal at the time. (In that case, the agency CW decided to give the court recommendations about kids she had seen once from across the room 2 years before and not in the agency's care. Her recommendations were based on hearsay from the Mother, and contradicted the State's recommendation. The agency was pushing their own political agenda in some ways too.)

Agencies can be wrong too, and can push their own political agenda, even if they aren't supposed to, as JGarrick mentioned.

[Boulderbabe]

This is crazy talk. Foster kids should be participating in every government program that they need and are eligible for.

I'd send a copy of this letter to DSS, so that they know what the agency is saying.