Foster Parents are individuals, or married couples, who complete the steps to become licensed to serve as caretakers for foster children. It may also be a misnomer as a foster parent is NOT a parent in the legal sense of the word…

Foster Parents #1 priority should be taking care of the child for the eventual return of the child to his/her parent(s). Foster Parents have to work with birth families. It is possible for Foster parents to adopt ONLY in situations where the parental rights are terminated, or the parents die, and there are not relatives or fictive kin alternatives. This means that reunification with their families is NOT possible. However, ADOPTION must be the plan for this to even be possible. Don’t sign up to be a foster parent if your ultimate goal is adoption. There are a lot of children that you can adopt right now!

Reunification with the natural parent is ALWAYS the preferred result and first priority. Second is placement with a relative or even a “fictive kin.” Once, ALL other alternatives are exhausted, then a Foster Parent adoption is a possibility.

What should you know about Foster Parenting?

The goal for most children in foster care is to be reunited with their parents. Foster families work with birth parents to achieve this goal. The length of time a child will stay with you depends on many factors. It could be for a few days, a few months, or much longer. A year or more is not unheard of. Also, the longer you are fostering does not automatically mean the better the chance of adoption.

Shared Parenting

As a Foster parent you have to be willing to work with the parent and CPS. This practice encourages joint responsibility for caring, nurturing, and decision-making for the same child.  This is the Foster Parent working with CPS & the natural parent(s) for reunification. Shared Parenting promotes an ongoing positive interaction between the natural parents and the foster parents.

How is caring for a foster child different from caring for my own child?

In many ways it is the same. Foster children need to know that you will be there for them no matter what. Foster children may have different experiences than your own children and need an additional level of care. They may need you to teach them new skills, help them cope with new experiences, and support them through the transition of being in foster care.

Additionally, if the plan is reunification or placement with a relative, the foster parents obligation is to support this goal, regardless of their personal feelings…

Will you be “rescuing” a child from an abusive or neglectful parent?

Yes and no. You will be a safe haven for the child. However their reaction may not be what you expect.

Many people may believe the child will be grateful and relieved to be out of their home situation. This is not often the case. The child’s situation may be normal to him/her, and being separated from family can be traumatic and stressful. Children need time to establish trust.

Are there children who have been neglected or physically, sexually, or mentally abused?

Yes. UNFORTUNATELY, this happens. These children can be impulsive, angry, resentful, and sad. They may act out and even take it out on their foster parent. The agency provides training to help foster parents work with these situations. Are you able to help teach children alternative ways to cope with stress while not taking their words and actions personally? The trauma of removal occurs even when the child is removed from a bad situation.

Foster Parent online application links:

Foster Parent Application (Single) – Complete this form if you are single. You will need to provide your name and an email address to sign your completed application.
  
  
Foster Parent Application (Married) – Complete this application if you are married. Both individuals will need to sign the application. A different email address is necessary for each individual. After the first individual signs the completed form, an email will be sent to the second individual requesting a signature to complete the form.

The role of a foster parent is critically important, but it is also critically important that your motives in serving in this role align with the goal of the agency, the goal of the natural parents and serving the best interest of the child…even over your own interests.

Matthew Thompson and Chad King are child welfare attorneys in the State of Mississippi. They have represented natural parents, foster parents, grandparents, other relatives, fictive kin, children and the Agency (CPS) throughout their decades of practice. (NOT all at the same time). This the tip of the iceberg of what a foster parent is, does and needs to know…