We get lots of questions about foster parenting….some people ask how we do it, some ask why we do it, some ask how they can get involved. We are serious advocates for fostering and know that it’s not for everyone, but that there are always ways to help out.

If you are interested in foster parenting it’s easy to get started. First, there are different kinds of foster parents. Respite care providers give short term care to children already in foster care, to give the foster parent a break or if they get called out of town and can’t care for the child. Receiving care providers (what we do for newborns still) are 30 day or less placements are for a child just coming into care so the state has time to figure out if the child will return home, go to a relative or move to a long term foster home. The long term foster home, is where a child could be with you any amount of time. The state’s main goal is to have the children return home if it can be a safe place for them to be but sometimes that takes quite awhile to make happen. Last is foster to adopt, and that speaks for itself. It’s the most risky placement because sometimes the kids do return home but you have to be ready for that. Just know that the child/children who are meant to stay with you, will stay with you. There were many times that we were crushed when a child left but if they had stayed we wouldn’t have the family we have now. It all works out the way it’s supposed to work out.

So none of those sound like anything you would want to do? Still want to help out? We are always taking in donations of baby items (clothes for the most part) that we use for our newborns and then send with them when they go, or kids items that we can take to our foster parent meetings once a month for other foster parents to use for their foster kids. I’m also trying to do the small photo/scrapbooks for kids in care, but that project hasn’t gone anywhere so far and I’m the only one who’s made any! So, if you want to donate anything…infant/kids clothing, baby blankets or anything feel free to talk to me and they will get to where they need to go.

Ok, I’m stepping off my soapbox here….I’m all for this cause and all for the kids so feel free to chat at me more about it if you are interested.