Foster Parenting - Log #7
It's been a while since I've posted anything foster-related because there hasn't been much going on, except some behind-the-scenes activity.
We are transferring our foster license from our previous agency directly to the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Why?
- Our previous agency worked more with special needs and hard-to-place foster children. We did not know this until recently.
- Our previous agency is the second round of help for foster children. The first foster homes that are considered are the ones licensed directly with the State. If children are too much for those foster parents to handle, then they are referred to an agency like our previous agency.
- Our previous agency worked more with older children.
Finding all of this out now - after 30 hours of training, 4+ months of being licensed, having accepted a difficult placement - is very frustrating! In some ways it feels like months have been wasted as we've waited. But there is nothing more to do than to move on from here and let our previous agency know that these details should have been made clearer from the beginning of the licensing process.
Transferring our license is similar to transferring colleges - some things transfer over and some don't. Thankfully, almost everything transfers and the few things that didn't are easy enough to duplicate.
At this point, we will be re-licensed with the State of Indiana directly within 2 weeks time. We anticipate getting more frequent calls with children to consider and most of those falling within the profile that will work for our family (infant through 6 years old). There is a greater chance of temporary placements - children that might be here for a very short period of time - and also emergency placements - needing a place immediately, maybe middle of the night, maybe coming with nothing but the clothes on their backs, etc. This is the type of foster home we were intending to be from the beginning.
So we continue to move forward with the process. Continue to pray for those children the Lord will bring our way. Continue to strive to be a safe and loving place for kids. Continue with our vision of being a lighthouse for those living in darkness.
1 comments:
You are right - its hard to decipher the details when you are just starting. We are in KY and got licensed first with the state, but until we were licensed and I had a mentor to talk to, I didn't find out what the difference was between the state and private agencies. Don't look at it as wasted time - its time you got more training than you needed, but that could come in very handy!
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