[rk36]

We are working on our application and we have to write a general letter to the children and birth mom. Did anyone have to write these? What did you include?

[Lorraine123]

Just curious - why do you have to write a letter to the birthmom in a foster care situation?

[texastanya]

We had to write a note to a birthmom and a foster child, when we were going through our licensing process. I am fairly certain that no birthmom or foster child would ever read it, I think it just helps the agency to know more about you and how you relate to bioparents and children who have come from a bad situation.

Are you sympathetic to the situation? Are you resentful of the situation? Do you understand that while you may be happy to have a child in your home, the child may be very ticked off about it? And, the child's parents could be upset over it? Or the child's parent's could be totally uncaring and not even show up for visits/court dates?

I think it's more about allowing the agency/caseworker to know "where you're coming from."

HTH,

[Lorraine123]

Makes sense. I didn't have to do that, just I was just wondering.

[TexasJingles]

Everyone in our class had to do this exercise as part of the application process to be invited to take the PRIDE classes.

It's a psych thing. I really stressed out about it, but we did get invited to take the classes, got licensed and have adopted our foster children. So, I guess we passed.

Don't ask me what I wrote. I have no idea. I think I wrote it from an adoption point of view though ... probably was easier for me than from a foster mom point of view.

[rk36]

Our letters are part of the application process for the agency to use and it said for the children to know more. I finally got them written. I took me a couple of hours but I got it done.

[TexasJingles]

I'm not saying that your agency isn't going to use them. I just wanted to point out:

What they say is going to happen, and what actually happens after you get licensed is usually 2 different things.

I mean, it "kind of" goes the way they say, but not really and when we would look strange at them and inquire, they just looked at us like WE were strange.

Perhaps it would be different if we did straight adoption, but in our foster-to-adopt situation, the children weren't given any info on us at all. It was "pack your bags, be ready to go in 2 days".

Anyways, I hope your getting through all the pre-paperwork without stressing too much. It's a wild, wonderful ride (at least most of the time). Merry Christmas!