How to Run a Therapeutic Care Foster Home

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.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Contact a local foster care placement agency to find out about your state's requirements for hosting children. Prepare any adults in your home for a criminal, driving and financial background check by a state agency, usually by a state organization such as the Department of Early Education and Care. If you plan to run a large care facility, you'll also need a state license.
2. Take training courses offered by local health groups to prepare your family to run a therapeutic care foster home. Focus on only one or two programs, such as substance abuse or physical and mental abuse, since the required training can be expensive and take several months to complete.
3. Return to the foster agency and discuss child placement for your home. Complete any required tests or evaluations to determine your eligibility to run a therapeutic care foster home.
4. Keep a detailed schedule of the professionals who will be coming to help your work with the children. Expect to have weekly meetings with psychological and behavioral specialists. You'll also be evaluated by the foster agency to determine how well you are caring for the child.
5. Make sure your foster child attends special courses run by the foster agency or local school. In addition to therapeutic recreational programs, these foster children often need to take courses in self-care and home skills which focus on creating independence and confidence. The child may also require special medical treatment that is covered by the state-provided health plan.
6. Promote good values and teach strong social skills to help the child make the transition into a young adult. Discipline the child as needed, but remember his difficult past and focus more on running a nurturing household. Monitor the dosage of any medication that the child is taking to help manage depression or anxiety.

Tips & Warnings

• The ratio between foster children and adults in your home will be much lower with a therapeutic program. Expect to only host one child at a time due to the amount of attention she will require.
• There are some cases where you'll be hosting two or more foster children, such as siblings that cannot live separately or a young mother and her child.
• As a therapeutic foster home, you're entitled to a larger monthly stipend in most states.