[Singlemom619]

Well I got a great job offer and we're moving to northern Virginia.... I have been wanting to foster again (and I know I'll eventually adopt again too) for awhile but I knew this move was coming and I didn't want to have to have a child removed after getting settled in because we were moving... So I've sat down two times now trying to find information on being a foster parent in northern Virginia - with no luck. I finally found a phone number for the county and I left a message - but I haven't heard back.

Here in Southern California I have been certified (2 times) with foster family agencies.... While the kids that they take from th e county tend to have some bigger issues - there is also a lot more support...

Does anyone know of any orgaizations? webpages? anything for fostering in northern virinia?

also - since I'll be close to border for other states - is it possible to get certified in the nearby states instead and take their children to foster rather than Virginia? To be quite honest I don't want to go through the entire trainings again for the 3rd time in 3 years - and if I can find anyone who might take even a few HOURS of the 90+ hours I've gone this last year alone - I'd rather go with them....

Thanks!

[Hadley2]

Hi,

Go this website: http://www.dss.state.va.us/family/children.html

For foster-specific info, click on foster care in the left-hand column. There is a lot of info on their website--you can even get the state FC Policy Manual (which doesn't always match up to state law or federal law, makes for some bizarre situations).

We are in another state fostering a relative for VA on an ICPC. We are dealing with a local agency in the western part of the state.

This is a county-by-county system with little to no state oversight; practices vary widely. My impression after talking with the former foster mom is that it takes VERY LITTLE to get licensed in VA. She took no classes. Her husband is in very poor health. They passed criminal checks and their house passed health and fire inspection. That was it. She later confided that she herself had lost her rights to a child in another state and had other things in her history that you'd think would disqualify a person. Either it wasn't checked or the agency didn't care, I don't know.

So, it may be easier than you think. Good luck.

[kxl164]

I don't know what it takes to go through a private agency, but through the county agency in Southern VA that we went through it wasn't tough, but you needed to really be committed for it to work. I think they would work with you regarding classes you already too, especially if you were in a PRIDE state.

The looked into everything in our past and asked a ton of questions. So I don't know where the other Foster Parents were from, but they would never have been approved where I live.

I know many foster parents are needed in VA, especally N. VA, so I think it would be wonderful of you to help!