Considerable information is at your disposal if you're considering fostering children. Important details concerning the foster care system can be found in a number of different publications and online resources.
Some of these tools are even no cost to you. But before choosing a foster care agency, you should always verify their legitimacy with the state's Department of Human Services or Department of Children and Family Services.
A foster parent's journey is one that is long and challenging. There are, however, tools at your disposal to aid you in getting through this. If you're looking for information on children and youth with disabilities, CPIR has a wealth of searchable data sheets. These can be useful for preparing answers to potential questions about various handicaps.
Freely accessible to parents and professionals who care for children with special needs, the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) is a wealth of useful information. It covers a wide range of subjects through articles, webinars, and individual pages.
The CPIR team prioritizes user input while designing products and services to enhance parent centers' ability to help families in need.
In addition, a manual on how to handle the antics of teenagers in foster care is a must-have for all prospective caregivers. It looks at how trauma affects kids at different stages of their lives and offers advice on how foster parents and their teen children may work together for the best possible outcome.
Parents of disabled children in Washington State, as well as people with disabilities, family members, and professionals, can access training and information through the Statewide Parent Training Information Center, a program made possible by federal funding. Volunteers and paid personnel provide one-on-one and group assistance.
To advocate on behalf of the thousands of foster families around the country, the National Foster Parent Association was founded in 1974 as a non-profit, volunteer organization. The National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) was established in 1972 to aid foster parents in need of support via advocacy, education, and community building. The NFPA is also a major player in the CHAMPS initiative, which works to fortify the ties between foster children and their biological families.
In addition, the FosterClub alumni network connects young adults who have aged out of foster care with one another through the NFPA's FosterClub alumni program and other online resources. You can also find a large collection of informative fact sheets there.
The National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) is also a part of the Council of State Affiliates, which is made up of the heads of individual state foster care associations and which meets periodically to discuss national foster care concerns. You can join for nothing and use it as a method to get information, solve problems, and make your voice heard on a national scale.
There are many books available to foster parents and those considering becoming foster parents. Authors with first-hand knowledge of the foster care system share their insights in these books and articles.
By Keri Vellis, When I Was Little is a memoir about a child's struggle to recover from abuse and trauma (ages 4-7) - This book addresses the emotional journey these children must take to reach safety, making it a wonderful resource for parents and caregivers of children who have undergone abuse or trauma. It's also a terrific tool for opening up a dialogue with your kid about their feelings and discussing their experiences when they've gone through something similar.
In their book, Families Change, authors Julie Nelson and Jennifer Wilgocki address the needs of children whose parents have had their parental rights terminated (ages 4-7) - Over time, dynamics in every family shift. Children require reassurance that they can love both their biological and adoptive families, no matter how many times their family structure shifts due to things like birth, marriage, or foster care.
Parents who are looking to adopt a child will find this book to be an invaluable resource. It teaches parents how to establish a rapport with their kids, win their trust and affection, and manage academic and behavioral issues. It's great for everybody, but those who adopt children from foster care will find it extremely useful.