If you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent, you probably have a lot of questions about what the process looks like. At Upbring, we strive to be honest with potential foster parents and give them the information they need to make a knowledgeable decision about whether or not fostering is right for them. Fostering a child comes with its challenges, but none that cannot be managed with proper training and support. There are many common myths and misconceptions about foster care. Here’s the truth about the five most commonly heard:
1. I have no choice about the child that is placed in my home
Foster parents are given the freedom to help create the kind of environment they want for their home. This process involves evaluating the type of child(ren) that you think will best fit in with your family. You can choose a child’s age range and gender as well as the range of behaviors that you feel comfortable parenting. Keep in mind that the smaller the age range you give, the longer it will likely take for you to be matched with a child.
2. I must be wealthy
If worrying that you don’t have enough money to provide for a child is the only thing holding you back from becoming a foster parent, don’t let that stop you. While foster care is not an experience that you can financially profit from (you must have a regular source of income that is not government assistance), help is offered through a daily reimbursement rate. This predetermined dollar amount is provided for each day a child resides in your home to assist with purchasing his or her basic need items like clothing and food. The daily reimbursement rate is disbursed on a monthly basis and can also be used to offer your child opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities like dance class, music lessons or playing on a sports team.
3. I’m too old to be a foster parent
While the minimum age is 21, there is no maximum age to welcome a child in foster care into your home. As long as you are emotionally and physically healthy, have a regular source of income and have no criminal history or history of abusing a child or another adult, you are eligible to care for a child in foster care. Foster parents range in age and represent a variety of different family structures. Some have other children in their home already and others do not. Retirees who are nostalgic for the joy and busyness of having a child at home often make excellent foster parents.
4. I’ll be on my own without any help
At Upbring, we work to make sure that each child placed into a foster home is well cared for and that each family providing for them has the support and resources needed to be successful. When you foster through Foster In Texas (FIT), you are assigned a family services worker who is on call at all times. If you have a question, are feeling overwhelmed or need to report an incident, simply pick up the phone and call our 24/7 local support line. FIT also provides foster parents with 30 hours of training per year, monthly support groups, quarterly events such as a day at the zoo or an appreciation dinner, respite care and wraparound health care for children. Our goal is to make sure that every foster parent knows that they are not in this alone.
5. I have to be married and own a home
Both single people and married couples (if you have been married for at least two years) can welcome a child in foster care into their home. While a home screening and a safety inspection of your place of residence are both required before a child can enter your care, passing is not at all contingent on whether you own or rent your home.
Fostering through Upbring means that you are joining a community of caring staff and like-minded parents who all have the same goal of caring for children who need loving, supportive families. While fostering a child can be challenging at times, our foster families are supported throughout their entire journey and are given all the resources they need to feel comfortable. If you think you are interested in becoming a foster parent, we want to hear from you! Please take a minute to fill out our Foster Inquiry Form so that we can connect you with a FIT representative who will give you additional information and answer any questions you may have.