Everyone does not have the fortune of a secure and positive upbringing. Thousands of children across the country are suffering because their families are not able to take care of them. There are many whose parents suffer from addiction or are too sick to pay them attention.
Then there are those who have faced abuses which no human being (forget a child) should experience. There has to be a way to help bring these children into the mix of a healthy society, to give them the opportunities that every citizen deserves.
The fostering network is there to help improve the situation that children without adequate parental care face. You can be an important part of this continuous endeavor.
The Life Of A Foster Parent
There are a few lifestyle changes that will happen when you take up the responsibility of fostering. Be ready to deal with unexpected scenarios and behaviors. Unlike raising your own kids, where you can identify certain signs and mannerisms, bringing in a child for care is a different proposition.
A lot of the children in the foster care network have bounced around homes and schools and will have faced certain trauma in their short lives. This can reflect in behavior issues which could be explicitly noticeable or cause the kid to be withdrawn. This part of fostering will be the one where you need to show the most empathy.
Your schedule will also change after bringing in a foster child. You will have certain prerequisites to satisfy and you will also be interacting with social workers who will periodically check on your ward. You will also have to change a few things about your home’s physical space. Parameters for fostering a child include ensuring that he or she has the required privacy and living space in your home. Read more to learn if you are prepared to be foster parents.
Benefits Of Being A Foster Parent
There are multiple ways that taking in a child to your home can enrich your life. Take a glance at the many things you will gain as a foster parent.
There is no way to describe the value of a human relationship that has been built from scratch. You would be welcoming an individual into your house that needs your protection and guidance. There will be awkward introductions, all sorts of interactions and a learning process for you. As time progresses, your ward becomes one of the family, looking up to you as the loving guardian.
On a more practical front, being a foster carer also allows you to supplement your budget with a second stream of income. The income comes with its tax benefits and will ensure that the child you take care of is enjoying the basics that all kids need.
In fact, you can earn more as you gain experience. The Transforming Education Certification or TranZed certificate acknowledges the bigger role you play in the Fostering Network and this means that you get increased funding. While you are acting as a foster parent, you will experience major personal development and will gain very precious skill sets that deal with communication and handling young people. You will receive free training from the best representatives of the fostering network and this relationship continues throughout the fostering period too.
Foster Care In The USA Today
Not all children who are taken into care get homes to stay in. Instead, they are kept in government-run institutions and even though authorities try their best, these places can leave a child very vulnerable. The statistics related to children who grow out of fostering indicate a social epidemic that is not being addressed because it happens slowly and beneath the surface.
These 2017 statistics are major eye-openers. 20% of children who come out of the fostering system end up being homeless immediately. This is why the acquisition of academic performance and life skills are so important to these young individuals.
The children who faced extreme abuse number in the tens of thousands. Only half of the children who spend their lives in the system end up getting stable jobs by the time they are in their twenties. And these observations are just a scratch on the surface. One thing they tell us is that – the rest of us need to act.
Let us acknowledge that below the surface of society there are a lot of tragic things happening and the ones who suffer the most are children. These same children are the future generations of your community. Step in and play your part. Becoming a foster parent has more joy and satisfaction than many would think. Consider opening your home to someone who needs it most.
