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Title: |
Foster Parent
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Job Objective: |
To help the child in your temporary care while planning is being done to arrange a permanent home for the child.
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Responsibilities: |
- To help the child in your home maintain or improve relationships with family and friends; school adjustment; physical growth and development
- To maintain an attitude of respect and understanding toward the parents of the child because these people are important to the child
- To help the agency in the development and implementation of casework plans for the child in your home
- To continue to meet the needs of your family while sharing your family with the child in your care.
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Qualifications: |
You may be an adult 21 years of age or older, single or married, with stable income sufficient to meet your family's needs. There may be a place for you on our team if you:
- Can accept the temporary nature of foster care
- Can participate in training classes about your new job as a "professional parent"
- Can demonstrate that you are a creative problem solver, have good listening skills, flexibility and a sense of humor
- Respect children and families
- Can manage your family's finances with the addition of another child and the agency's amount of reimbursement for medical care, clothing, room and board.
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Training: |
Training is provided both prior to placement of a child in your home and on a rgular basis following placement.
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Commitment: |
There is no time commitment to stay in the program. Caring for children who have been separated from their families is a big responsibility, and we hope that foster parents will always work for the best interests of the children in their home. If foster parents are unable to continue with the program, or feel they cannot provide care for a particular child, we do ask that several weeks' notice be provided. This will give the child an opportunity to prepare for the move and will allow us time to find a suitable placement for the child.
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On-the-Job Supervision: |
Ongoing supervision and support from a social worker specifically assigned to each foster home is offered.
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"Paychecks": |
You will not receive a salary, only reimbursement for the expenses of raising a child; however, foster parents receive many other kinds of "paychecks" or "rewards," including:
- An opportunity to make new friends
- New learning experiences
- A terrific challenge
- The opportunity to develop new parenting skills
- A special role in the community
- The satisfaction of helping children and families.
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