[MomInAL]

I am wondering what types of children are considered special needs as per therapeutic foster care? I understand the additional training needed to become a therapeutic foster parent, I would like to know what types of kids are placed with you? If a child qualifies for SSI would that child necessarily be a therapeutic care child? or possibly a medically fragile child? Just wondering what the actual conditions are of these types of kids. DH and I have talked some about becoming TFP and I'd like some input from anyone out there.

MomInAL
DD 18, DD 16, guardian to D 16
FD 15, FS 11, FS 9 (siblings) TPR starting 2/06

[AmyAnne]

My husband and I were trained as a theraputic foster home. Our son has Reactive attachment disorder, Oppositional/Defiant Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. His social workers insisted his adoptive family have theraputic training.

[Nicole Elaine]

We are in training for Therapeutic foster care, but haven't had any placements yet. We should be licensed in about a month. I will keep you posted

[Concerned]

We are Theraputic foster parents, and special needs can be something as simple as a sibling group that is difficult to place. We currently have a sibling group with 4 children. One of the children is very defiant and was sexually abused. She does take medication daily and is classified as a level 2.
But most of the time she is a little angel. We love them all very much.

[Singlemom619]

I was a Therapeautic (i can't spell) foster parent... the kids that i knew in the program had emotional issues more than anything else... hiting, biting, sexually acting out, aggressive... just more than the average child.

I knew a 13 year old that was failing school and would become violent when she was angry. She never did anything too bad, she'd swing but rarely hit someone and when she did it didn't leave a mark. She eventually ran away and accused her Fmom of hitting her. She later recanted but the SW wouldn't let her go back to the place. She's run away from the foster/group home four times now and hasn't been found the last time.

Another 12 year old was on meds, would scream and yell and throw tantrums.

A 6 year old would sort of bump and grind against peers at school when he was mad. he would hit animals. He also had Reactive Attachment disorder.

all of them had weekly therapy and had special services at school.

Some of the kids I didn't understand how they were any more special than the average foster kid... but there you go...

Bed wetting was also noted in a lot of the younger kids.

[akelseyfamily]

We have a child with a very rare and serious medical condition. We would like to open a "home" for orphaned children with the same disorder. Would this be a therepudic (sp) foster home or something else? We also would want to be able to house children from other states that are currently in a foster situation. We would have specialized care specificaly for these children. We were wondering if this type of thing even exists. Any info would be great.
Amber

[lostboys]

We do Theraputic Foster care. We foster mostly teen boys. Most of them or on probation. We are usually the last chance stop before boy school. We have really only had a few that didn't try. Most of the boys have behaviour and emotional problems. When you mix that with just ordinary teen stuff you just never have a dull moment. We normally have 5 - 6 boys at a time. It's a hard job but we are just nutty enough to love it.

[joymico]

My DH and I have been tfp for 4 years now. we have had about 10 boys and 1 girl come and go. the majority of them have had reactive attachment disorder, odd, ocd, add, adhd, sexual abuse, on meds, etc. we have also had hard to place sibling groups. the oldest we had placed with us was a 20year old developementally delayed young man and the youngest we had was a 4 year old who was being placed with a brother of 11. we normally get teenage boys also. Out of all the children, so far, only 3 have not had/needed meds. we like it but you have to develop a thick skin!! good luck

[lisajm54]

I have taken 12 of the 18 hours of training to be a tfp. I decided to take the training bacause of my adoptive daughter. She is diagnosed with RAD, ADHD, mood disorder and a few others. She has been medicated for two years now with little success. I would be interested in talking with anyone dealing with a similar child. I love her dearly but she has just about ripped my family apart.

[zebramom]

Personally, I think all foster parents should be considered therapeutic. I was never licensed specifically as one, but let me tell you, I have had some tough kids, my adopted son especially!!!

Special needs, as far as adoption goes, is considered

A child over the age of 2 (but age can vary by state)
A sibling group
A racial minority child
A child with physical disabilities
A child with emotional or behavioral issues

It's not the "regular" definition of special needs where it's the "big" physical illnesses like Down's Syndrome, or Cerebral Palsy.

[hotspice58]

I've had a teenager who I believe suffers from RAD and was diagnosed as ODD and ADHD but I wasn't considered therapeutic. I now have a son who was sexually abused by bdad and acted out: set fires, beat kids up. He was slated to go to a therapeutic foster home but I have one of his brothers and TPR was done on both bio parents. I had to take an extra MAPP class for him. I'm not therapeutic but I get the exceptional rate for him.

[zebramom]

This makes you therapeutic in MY mind, but that doesn't count on any paperwork.

[dmca]

Quick question here.
someone posted that you took only 18 hours training to become a tfp?
wow.
I went to college.LOL@ me, I guess.
for me in Canada, it was assorted. Could be physically emotionally or mentally disabled.
One young man was schizophrenic from the time we got him at 9 .
Later it was high risk kids. One of the last I had, had a 2' screwdriver sharpened to a point hidden under his mattress.
Later in life, he did murder another man.
so, after 18 hours you can do this? Oh well, I don't begrudge the time I spent in college learning what is to be done, and the various therapies and how to conduct them with the children.
dmca