Last Monday, Tammy from I Must Be Trippin’ shared with us the crazy-busy schedule of foster care appointments as a single working foster mom. Caseworkers, counselors, therapists, doctors, dentists, family visits, court appearances… It made my head spin! How in the world does she do foster care by herself???
5 Tips to Schedule Foster Care Appointments
- Plan one workday each month to take off – I let all of the “regular” monthly visitors know about 2-3 weeks ahead of time when that will be and they know they will have to come on that day if they want to come during the day. Otherwise, they will have to come after I get off work or on a weekend. I have to say, they are usually pretty quick to jump on scheduling something for the day that I choose when they hear that I’m not taking off work any other day. 🙂
- Have “regular” monthly visitors do their visits at the same time – It’s definitely easier on me and the kids, and it’s really helpful having the adults involved in the case together in order to be certain that everyone is on the same page. Because there are so many people involved in these cases, lack of communication tends to be a HUGE problem. Getting several of the key players together at one time has been very helpful for all of us.
- Schedule outside appointments on my one day off a month – (ex. dentist, physicals, etc.) It’s usually an insanely busy day, but if I can get the majority of the month’s appointments done in one day, it leaves the rest of the month for the kids just to be kids.
- Request any therapy sessions, monthly visits, etc. be done at the children’s schools or daycares – I found out nine months into a placement that the caseworker didn’t have to come to the house every month. She mentioned offhandedly that she could occasionally see the baby at his daycare and do my interview over the phone. I also found out that there are some therapists who will travel to the children’s schools for their weekly sessions. No one had ever mentioned these things to me, so now I always ask.
- Have a super-cool, mega-sized day planner – I like this goal-planning weekly/monthly schedule planner that never leaves my side when I have a placement. I use it to keep track of everyone’s schedules as well as to jot down notes about visitations, milestones, behavioral problems, giving medications, etc. It comes in incredibly handy when I complete my monthly progress reports and med logs for the kids. Keeping it with me has also helped when I get the inevitable phone calls asking, “When did so-and-so last go to the dentist?” or “How many visits have the kids had with their parents now?” It’s a great way to keep track of schedules as well as doubles as a diary of sorts. Believe me, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to go back and reference notes and other pertinent information in mine. Having everything in one location is a huge help when it comes to the paperwork. I’ve also been told that it makes me “the best foster parent ever” by my agency and a few caseworkers. (Note to you caseworkers out there… It never hurts to butter up your foster parents by telling them how awesome they are. 🙂
I hope I haven’t scared away any potential foster parents with this rundown of the madness that is life in foster care. I always think that it helps to know what you’re getting into. I know it would have helped me that first day when I was trying to comfort a baby in a body cast while being bombarded by phone calls from people wanting to know when it was a “convenient” time for them come to my house.
Just remember that you don’t always have to jump to do their bidding. You are the one parenting these kids who need someone to stand up for them. A caseworker wants to schedule a home visit the afternoon after your baby gets his 6-month shots? You can say “no.” I didn’t realize that when I first started out. I have learned, and now I pass on my wisdom to you, Young Jedi… 😉
Feel free to follow my foster/adopt journey at “I Must Be Trippin’,” and join us every other week for “Foster Friday” when our panel of foster/adopt moms and family members discuss various topics related to this crazy and wonderful world we have chosen to live in known as Foster/Adopt Land.
