New York Foster Parent Legal Status and Rights
Under New York law, foster parents lack standing to petition the Court for legal custody of a foster child currently or formerly in their care or for visitation with a former foster child.
Sharing the Pain
This child comes to you in great pain, having lost family and hope in probably one of the most disruptive and frightening things that could happen to a child. His family, though perhaps dysfunctional in the extreme, has also lost something precious–a child: their stake in the future, their hopes for the continuing of their family. Is it fair that you should be the only part of this equation that is not supposed to experience pain?
When I Become a Foster Parent…
These kids understand how hard foster parenting is. To help those who are behind in school. To love and nurture children who are struggling with their emotions, their behavior, their ability to trust. These kids know that to do this job well demands enormous patience, stamina, and generosity of heart.
6 Foster Care Skills You Need to Master Before Being a Foster Parent
Before jumping into foster care, most families spend two or three years just thinking about it. Here are a few points to consider before making the final decision on whether or not to do foster care.
45 Suggested Supports for Youth Transitioning From Care
“Permanency is a feeling that is different for everyone, it is not bound by time nor can it be measured. It has to be discovered and often times it has to be tested, and rejected more than once before permanency can be established. Permanency is so hard to understand because it is a conceptual idea of an emotion and is received on both ends very differently for every person. There is no straight “by the book” definition of permanency because the emotions I feel cannot be felt by anyone else, and that’s the great thing about it.”
My Life in Foster Care
Twenty years ago, I entered the foster care system and stayed in a group home for ten years because my parents, who were heroin addicts, were unable to care for me. I felt institutionalized, alone, and longed for my own family.
Advice for Parents in a Post ASFA World
The New York States Adoption and Safe Families Act has been in existence for decades. In the post- ASFA world, foster parents need to be informed advocates for their foster children.
Overview of Foster Home Certification
No License, Certificate or Letter of Approval will be issued until an applicant has attended orientation on foster parenting and training provided or arranged by the agency, the agency has conducted in-person interviews with the applicant and his references, visited and inspected his home or apartment and completed a Homestudy.
Simple Tips for Foster Parents
When kids talk about their foster parents, they often criticize them. Many foster parents have bad reputations, and many kids think that they’re just doing it for money and not for us. Caring for a child is a hard job, but in another way, the things we need are pretty simple. Here’s my advice to foster parents about how to treat a child who is coming into their home.
Foster Care and Adoption Self-Assessment Guide
A useful tool to help you make an informed decision about fostering or adopting a child. Every adult living in your house should complete this self-survey. Discuss the results openly and honestly. It will help you understand how you feel about fostering a child.