Foster Care

More than 500,000 children were in foster care in September 2006, according to a study published by the Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There is an ongoing...

Foster homes provide temporary shelter for children who are displaced from their natural families due abuse and neglect, voluntary relinquishment or death of the child's guardian. Children are...

Foster care is a temporary situation that can help a child in many ways. Christian Family Care Agency says, "There are an estimated 7,000 children in Arizona and 550,000 children nationwide in...

Visiting your children at the CPS office is not the most pleasurable thing to do! It is GREAT to see them, but being hovered over and watched is sometimes frustrating. Here are some ideas about...

This is for the parents that find themselves in the gut retching position of fighting for CPS for their children.

Children may leave their foster homes when they are adopted from foster care. After 12 consecutive months of foster care, a permanency planning meeting must be requested. This meeting determines...

Applying for foster care is a long drawn out, emotionally charged process. A person who makes the decision is usually someone who is very excited to begin helping children and is anxious to get...

Whether you're planning to adopt or to be a foster parent, preparing for a homestudy can be an overwhelming task. Just keep in mind that the social worker wants you to succeed in this endeavor as...

Foster parenting can be incredibly rewarding, fulfilling and educational. It can also be difficult, frustrating and downright heartbreaking. Before you embark on this journey, consider the pros...

Foster care systems are typically run by individual states as a part of their departments of social services. The purpose of foster homes is to provide a safe, stable environment for children...

Every year, hundreds of thousands of children enter the U.S. foster care system and every single one of them is in need of a family to give them a safe home for either short-term or long-term...

This article will show you step by step how to become a foster parent. Although the process to become a foster parent may change slightly between states, the overall steps will be almost...

When you become a foster parent, even after all the classes you take and training you receive, you often have a rosy view of how it’s going to be. You imagine a sweet little child coming into...

Being a foster parent for the state brings about many interesting challenges. The most obvious is dealing with the issues the foster child may come with. The child who comes into foster care may...

Father's Day is here. Sometimes people can't afford to buy gifts or either they wait until the last moment and can't find anything. I will list 20 ideas that I hope will help you on Father's day....

Over a half million children are in foster care in the United States. When a child is abused or neglected, they are often sent to a foster home. A foster home can be the home of a relative, family...

So, you've got the nursery painted, the beautiful, cherry wood crib in the corner, and the perfect birthing facility selected for the "big day". The only problem is you cannot decide on...

We have all seen the TV ads about people opening their homes to children who need them. The foster-care system in the United States--which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services...

So your little one wants a Little Einsteins birthday party. We will give you the basics and resources to a fun and creative Little Einteins birthday bash.

Love and care is essential to our well-being. Adults and children alike consistently seek them, but when it comes to children, special attention is critical. This passage discusses minors who for...

The entire month of May is set aside to acknowledge National Foster Care Month. This is to build public awareness of the hundreds of thousands of children waiting in the foster care system for a...

According to a national survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a growing number of children in the nation's foster care systems are reported as having chronic health...

When children enter the foster care system, they are often frightened and traumatized. The first foster parents that care for a child in an emergency situation are often short-term care...

Many people wistfully say that someday they hope to foster a child in need. However, they get inundated by the complexity of their lives, the business of their jobs and families and may question...

When my husband and I decided to become foster parents, we had to consider a variety of factors. Were we really ready? Would we make good parents? Would they like our cooking? (Joking-my husband...

When children are removed from the care of their parents and put into foster care, many relatives want to know what they need to do to have the child placed in their home. Here is a step-by-step...

Being a "specialized foster parent" isn't any different than being a parent in many ways.

Foster parenting can be a rewarding experience for singles and couples if you go into it for the right reasons, and keep some helpful hints in mind!

It is wonderful you have made the decision to at least check into foster care. There are so many children who need a loving home.

It can be quite a challenge for foster parents to discipline a foster child. Because of early trauma, abuse, or neglect a foster child does not respond to discipline in typical or expected ways....

It can be difficult for outsiders to understand how attached foster parents and foster siblings can become to a foster child. When you love and care for a child’s every need for a year or more you...

Most foster children will come into your home with many things to sort out. There are a few children that present no real problems while living in your home. Other children might present difficult...

Learning about your new foster child can be a difficult task. The more placements a child has had, the less documentation you will probably end up with on the child. Getting past foster-placement...

How often you meet with your foster child's caseworker depends on how many children she has in her caseload and what the specific needs of the foster child are, both physically and emotionally....

We take for granted the fact that most of us know how to live in a family unit. That may sound weird to people who have always been in a functioning family, but for many foster children, living in...

There are a number of different agencies that provide foster care services. The most well-known is Job and Family Services for your county or state, but you are not limited to working only through...

Whether this is your first time meeting with a foster child's probation officer or the one hundredth, planning ahead and knowing what is expected of you and your foster child will make the trip...

Social workers and foster families know that children in foster care have a right to visit with their biological parents. The circumstances under which this happens varies, but most visits are...

Helping foster children feel welcome and accepted into their new family is always a challenge. This is especially true for grandparents, who are expected to bond with each new addition to a...

Teen foster children are difficult to parent because you must cope with all the issues of teenage life as well as any remaining behavioral or psychological problems from the teen's experiences in...

Foster child expenses, including room and board, clothing, recreation and medical fees, add up to significant amounts for some families. Foster programs are covered by state budgets so you can be...

Being a foster parent is very demanding and sometimes you'll need a break or help from other parents and professionals. Luckily, there are programs providing free support groups and training to...

Blogs are an easy way for foster families around the country to communicate with each other and share success stories. While some information may be state-specific, you can learn a lot if you...

An adult foster care home is a facility that provides a supportive environment to help seniors enjoy their golden years. These homes are supported primarily by state and federal funding, so they...

Emergency care foster homes are most often used as a temporary living situation for a child in need. You need a special license and training to run a home for someone who is not genetically...

A pre-adoption care foster home gives temporary lodging to one or more children while they wait for the adoption process to finish. You can run your own pre-adoption facility out of your house,...

A respite care foster home gives attention and living support to children who have special needs due to a past traumatic experience or to children whose regular foster family needs some time...

Short-term care foster homes lodge children temporarily while agencies look for a stable long-term solution. If you want to run this type of home, you need certification and skills to provide a...

Therapeutic care foster homes are run by trained family members who know how to deal with special-needs children. You need special training if you want to host and work with these kids.

Foster children who have histories of running away from their biological and host families can be very difficult to parent. In addition to creating a supportive household, you must be aware of...