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10:00 am by admin

10 Tips for Foster Parents

The need for foster parents is constant. There are always children in need of loving and safe foster parents to help them heal from circumstances beyond their control. By entering into the world of foster care parenting, you are giving a child a gift that cannot adequately be described through words.foster-parenting-tips

A similar wordlessness arises concerning the practical aspects of the foster care process. A common question is: How do I help a foster care child transition into my household or family?   There are actually a number of ways to help the child become better acquainted with his or her new surroundings.

1.  Love the child with your whole heart.

Open your heart wide and love a foster care child as you would your own. Use terms that signal this endearment, like, “I think of him as my son,” and, “My girls get along great.” Demonstrate that love with a physical connection in the same manner as a niece or nephew — the tussle of the hair, the pat on the back. Give consistent verbal praise when reviewing school work or helping out in the yard. Who doesn’t like to hear the words, “You did a great job. I’m really proud of you.”

2.  Create opportunities to talk.

Chances are that you had a long day at work and that you were already living a busy life before becoming a foster parent. When a kid has something important to say, it doesn’t come out with an adult’s schedule in mind. Sometimes it’s just a seemingly random blurt. Other times it requires you to pry it out. Try scheduling activities that lend themselves to sharing, like a challenging hike or a car trip for an overnight at grandma’s. Or, try consistently sitting down to dinner, asking about their day and talking about yours.

3.  Be prepared to listen.

Children in foster care have heart-breaking stories to tell. You are going to have to be strong to sit still and listen to the child you love tell you that they were abused or neglected. At the same time, your child may talk defensively about their parents. Listening is difficult – the inclination is to stop the narrative because it stops us from learning what’s happened. When you listen, you are signaling to the child that you can handle their sadness and you continue to love them.

4.  Use the placement agency as an on-going resource.

A child in foster care is part of a network of trained specialists, particularly social workers. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The social worker knows the child, knows about the history of the child, and knows what additional resources can be utilized to provide the best chance for the child’s future.

5.  Build a network of people for you, as well as for the child.

You are going to need support, too. It’s a big transition to bring a child into your home. Just as the child needs you to love him or her, you are going to need family and friends who can listen to your challenges, provide meaningful advice and give you hugs or bake you dinner when you need a breather.

6.  Stop in to speak with people at school.

You simply can’t go wrong by speaking with everyone from the Principal to the Teacher’s Aide. You need everyone around the child to be on your team. Teachers may identify a need for testing or special education resources to help the child at school, and you will want to be sure that those services get delivered. Remember: You can get in touch with the social worker who will have the legal authority to pull the file and even go back to prior schools or providers to try to obtain accurate information.

7.  Actively engage as a leader in an extra-curricular activity.

Guess what? Your bleacher days are over. Time to become the team coach or the field trip chaperon. An invaluable way to bond with your child will be to actively involve yourself in his or her childhood activities and the other adults who are also helping out.

8.  Start new traditions.

Even if you already do something one way, why not make up something new for the whole family? A favorite is building a new tradition around your new child’s birthday. What family doesn’t enjoy some cupcakes, fruit punch and festivity?

9.  Be ready for some tears.

It is only human to cry. Many a child’s tears are over a skinned knee, to which we can apply some salve and a Sponge Bob band-aid, give a kiss and send them happily off to play — but a child in foster care may cry for reasons we do not understand and cannot as easily repair. It can make us feel as helpless as the child. This is when it’s most important to remember that tears are also a way for the child to face his or her fears and loss, and to learn to self-soothe. No one truly wants to cry alone. Even if a door slams or little feet run in the opposite direction, find the strength to stretch out your open arms and wrap the child in an embrace that lets him or her know that even if they once were afraid, they do not have to be now.

10. Understand the fear of impermanence.

Even if everything goes “perfectly” in your new family, you will have to live each day with the possibility that the child may be sent back to the parents who abused or neglected them in the past. Now think about that from a child’s perspective and you will understand why children in foster care can put up barriers, intentionally and unintentionally. As you demonstrate, day by day, that you are taking that emotional risk, so, too, will the child. Children learn so much by example, and impermanence is a part of everyone’s life.

JOIN OUR PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP FOR FOSTER PARENTS

This post was written by Jeff Herbst. Jeff works with the University of Southern California’s Online MSW degree program offered through the School of Social Work. The program offers a concentration in Families and Children which provides social workers with the knowledge to help families resolve problems.

10:00 am by Penelope

How to Get a Foster Care License

How do you get a license for foster care? It varies from state to state.

I recently chronicled our journey here. For us, it took 9 months to get a license, mainly because we lived in the middle of nowhere and then moved.

The steps to get a foster care license in Texas are:

  1. Attend an informational meeting;
  2. Attend 30 hours of PRIDE training;
  3. Pass a home study;
  4. Receive a foster care license.

Our journey to become a licensed foster home is unique, due to the obstacles we encountered.  However, here is a list of foster care blogs that discuss how they got their foster care license.

Holli of Klein Haus Chaos wrote about about getting a foster care license in Arizona and how foster care is a ministry for their family.

It took this Foster Mamma of Attempting Agape 4 months to get a foster care license.

how-to-get-foster-care-license-california
Debbie of Always and Forever Family

Debbie at Always and Forever Family just completed their home study and are very close to getting a foster care license in California.

how-to-get-foster-care-license-arkansasThis Rookie Foster Mama is just waiting for their final walk-through to have their foster care license in Arkansas.

foster-care-licenseJC of From the Edge of Insanity just began their foster care classes.

how-to-get-foster-care-license-private-Christian-agencyJoy of Small Town Joy discusses how they were licensed for foster care through a private Christian agency.

It took this clinical psychologist of Foster Parenting Adventures a full year to get a foster care license.

Foster Care: Our Love Story shows the 6-month time line of how they became licensed for foster care in New York.

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON WHO TO REACH IN YOUR STATE

How long did it take you to become licensed? Would you like to share your journey of getting your foster care license? Add your link in the comments below or send it to me via the CONTACT page.

10:00 am by Penelope

ANOTHER Investigation of Our Foster Home

A few weeks ago, our 2-year-old foster boy, Lil Bit, climbed onto a dining room chair while our backs were turned and broke his elbow…for a second time! Yes, the exact same elbow!  After our 26-hour hospital ordeal, we knew what was coming next….

The following Wednesday evening at church, as we were enjoying a catered meal of smoked barbecue brisket, Cole slaw, potato salad, and Oreo cookie pie, FosterDad’s cell phone began chirping its techno song alerting him that he was receiving a call.

It was an investigator with Child Protection Services: he was at our home!  FosterDad, always the quick-thinker never wanting to miss a church service, invited the investigator to our church to conduct the interview before our Bible study began.  Lo and behold, it was the same investigator!

FosterDad sat in the sanctuary for his part of the interview while I was herding preschoolers.  (With their affinity to climb onto the pulpit, one would believe they would have an early calling to minister.  My personal belief is that it is an act of defiance!)

Finally, we were able to drop the kids off into their classrooms, it was my turn for the interrogation interview.

The interview process took longer than I anticipated so I was going to be late for class; however, to complete the investigation, the investigator had to visit our home.  So much for “Staying in Love” this week.

I drove home, showed him the infamous dining room chair.

“Sir, notice that we have no coffee table in our living room, just a lone rug amongst the sofa suit. That is because our dear foster child is a climber.”

I even showed him how we have the coffee table lying on its side in a closed-off room. “We are doing our best to keep this child safe.”

By the end of the interview, the investigator says: “My daughter is the same age, and she is a climber, too. Just this weekend, I caught her by her shirt before she hit the floor.”

I feel much more calm about this investigation report….

11:30 am by Penelope

Another Investigation

For those of you that don’t follow Foster2Forever on Facebook or Twitter, our family had another traumatic event this weekend concerning our Lil Bit.

Our Lil Bit is 2 years old now, and he is a climber. We have removed the coffee table and end table from our living room for this reason. He is even using his potty chair–as a step stool.  We are constantly getting on to him.  However, we need to grow eyes on the backs of our heads…

On Saturday evening, while our backs were turned, Lil Bit climbed onto a dining room chair and fell onto the tile floor. Onto his previously fractured elbow. Snap!

The Saturday night at the hospital crowd caused us to have a L-O-N-G wait. It must have been “Bring Your Kid to the ER for a Runny Nose” Day at the hospital. (The doctor shared this with me.)  The x-ray showed a much worse fracture than the first – one that would require surgery – that night! At another hospital.

At 11 p.m. on Saturday night, our Lil Bit had his first, hopefully last, ride in an ambulance as he was transferred to Scott and White in Temple.

ambulance-child-seat

Lil Bit had 5 orthopedic specialists working on fixing his little arm. The doctors were concerned about nerve damage that could affect his ability to grasp. After numerous x-rays and consultations, we finally got into a hospital room at 5 a.m. with surgery scheduled for 8 a.m.

Time for a quick power nap!

Did I mention that our other son, JD, was with us? Awake the entire night!  However, he had slept 6 hours before we took him to Temple.

We awoke at 7 a.m. when Lil Bit was wheeled down to the operating room for the 8 a.m. surgery. The surgery lasted 45 minutes plus the surgeons were able to correct the fracture from last time.

Lil Bit slept most of Sunday so he wasn’t discharged from the hospital until last night.  He slept well last night and is playing and laughing this morning.

We’ve reported the injury and now just waiting for the next investigation into our foster home….

10:00 am by Penelope

WANTED: Information on Foster Care License

Happy Labor Day!

We hope that you are enjoying your “last weekend of summer”.  Here in Texas, we are finally getting cooler temperatures.  Cooler actually is less than 100 degrees.

Last night, I actually sat on the front porch, enjoying the breeze, and began reading a wonderfully written best-selling novel about a couple’s journey through infertility and adoption. On September 22nd, I am joining the SITS Girls Book Club and the author for an online discussion. Will you join me???

Now, onto this month’s Foster Focus on getting a foster care license.

A few months ago, I detailed our journey to become a licensed foster home that included travel to 3 towns and over 1,800 miles of driving.

During that 4 post series, there were a lot of comments discussing the similarities and differences on becoming a licensed foster home.  State vs. Private agency, PRIDE vs. MAPP, etc.

This month, Foster2Forever would like to compile all those different requirements into a large list post to share on Thursday, September 29th as a resource for all of our foster care readers everywhere. (maybe in a blog hop format for everyone to share on their blogs?)

Have you already written about your licensing journey? Then share the link below in the comments!

If not, get writing! Then, send the link to your blog post through our CONTACT page.

If you wrote a series of posts, as I did, then you can send the link to the first post and link it to subsequent posts, OR write a post listing each of the posts.

If you feel comfortable, please share what state (or country) you are in and whether you are licensed through the State or through a private agency.

I am so excited!!!  Will you join in???

10:06 am by Penelope

10 Stress Management Tips for Parents

Are you a stressed-out parent?

Most parents would declare a resounding, “YES“! Add to that the stress of parenting foster children that have suffered through neglect and other abuse. Haunted by their traumas, foster children can act out with behaviors difficult for us, as parents, to understand or manage. The resulting stress can be overwhelming sometimes.

Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is defined as the “stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person.” STS is commonly referred to as Compassion Fatigue.

stress-management-techniques-tipsFoster parents are especially at risk for developing STS due to:

  • Having empathy for foster children; and
  • Not having enough recovery time.

As a foster parent, you might be suffering from STS if:

  • Acting and/or feeling in ways that are not normal for you;
  • Feelings of anger, sadness, depression, or anxiety that last longer than usual;
  • Having nightmares similar to the type of trauma that your foster children have experienced;
  • Avoiding places or people out of fear for your foster children.

The signs of stress can be physical, mental, or behavioral.  These may include:

  • Tight muscles
  • Feeling anxious, forgetful, sad, confused, angry
  • Lack of caring for others
  • Mood swings
  • Laziness
  • Irritability
  • Over or under eating

There are a number of ways that you can combat stress in your life.

  1. Exercise. Last year, I started the Couch Potato to 5K (c25k) program and now try to run/walk for at least 30 minutes 2-3 times a week.  (I jog 2 minutes, then walk 1 minute and have gone as far as 8 miles using this method. I DON’T run 30 minutes straight.)  I have completed a number of 5ks and am training for a half-marathon in November using the Galloway walk/run program.  I can feel my self-esteem improving with every milestone. Do you have any exercise goals?
  2. Eat Properly. I do not eat as well as I should, but have been more self-conscious of the foods I eat. I have a chef salad for lunch most days and have added more olive oil to my diet.  I begin the Weight Watchers Points Plus program in 2 weeks!
  3. Journaling. Having this website allows me the opportunity to write out my frustrations of being a foster parent. Do you blog or journal?
  4. Join a Support Group. The wonderful readers that comment here on foster2forever are my support group. Thank you!!! In the next few weeks, I will be adding a community to the website so that we can chat and support one another more. So excited! Do you have a support group?
  5. Ask for Respite Care. A few weeks ago, FosterDad and I took respite care and enjoyed our time away from the kids to reconnect and just relax and focus on the 2 of us.  Sadly, we do not regularly schedule time together and I believe we need time away again! Scheduling weekly date nights is the next goal!
  6. Family Fun. When we do fun things with the kids that allow them to be kids, we ALL feel better.  We need to schedule this more often! Last night, Stinkpot enjoyed playing baseball with FosterDad in the 102 heat. Maybe a trip to the beach this weekend?
  7. Massage. I get tension headaches when I’m stressed and can feel it in my shoulders and neck.  When pain killers just aren’t doing the trick, I take a quick trip to the mall to the massage kiosk and pay the little Asian man $12 to massage my neck and shoulders. Works every time!
  8. Yoga and/or Meditation. I haven’t practiced yoga in a few years, but the stretching and meditation through counting helped me relax tremendously. Also, this incredible meditation audio CD by Susie Mantell is the BEST!!! She gets you so relaxed, then asks you to think about what’s bothering you. Each time, I’m so relaxed that I can’t think of anything!  I’ve only been able to stay awake through the entire CD once.
  9. Music. Add music to your life. Nothing can change my mood quicker than music. My kids love music too. Singing to my kids also helps them during tense times.
  10. Acceptance. Learn to accept your children. Our Stinkpot is an extremely strong-willed child. As I was reading Setting Limits with your Strong-Willed Child, Dr. MacKenzie pointed out that it is the nature of the strong-willed child to test, test, test everything. Once I realized that it was Stinkpot’s job to test me, I was able to better accept it, anticipate it and cope with it.

Are you stressed? Take this test.

How do manage your stress?

10:00 am by Penelope

Enrich Your Marriage – Respite Care is for You!

Marriage is tough! Marriage with kids is tougher! Marriage with foster kids is possibly the toughest all-around!

Having a revolving-door family, as sometimes couples have in foster care, can leave foster parents so busy and exhausted that sometimes respite care can become necessary for foster parents to be their best.

Respite care is a temporary resting period or break for caregivers.  In Texas, respite child-care is defined as care lasting longer than 72 hours.  (Therefore, shorter periods of care are not regulated as respite child-care.)

Last weekend, FosterDad and I took a long-overdue couples’ getaway! My sister provided the respite care of our 2-year-old foster boy, Lil Bit, and our 4-year-old, Stinkpot for the long weekend.

It was FosterDad’s birthday, so I surprised him with a trip to East Texas where he attended college for 2 years. Online, I found a bed and breakfast in the small town of Jefferson for $150 for 2 nights.

We stayed at the lovely Steamboat Inn.

View of hallway looking out.

We stayed in the masculine Mens Room

When I chose Jefferson, I had no idea the incredible history and all this small Texas town of only 2,000 folks has to offer!  Jefferson is in northeast Texas and was the riverport to the Texas frontier in the 1800’s.  You wouldn’t think that now; however, a huge log jam on the Red River connected the town to the Mississippi River and the ports of St. Louis and New Orleans, making the town an important Texas port abuzz with steamboats. The log jam was blown up in 1873 and riverboat traffic all but ceased. What is left is a quaint, little small town that is now the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Texas with over 30 active bed & breakfast inns.

We strolled along the brick roads, enjoying all the historic markers and homes, visiting the antique shops and the Jefferson General Store.  We had a romantic dinner at the charming Stillwater Inn and even took a romantic moonlight ride in a surrey with fringe on top!!!

Spending the weekend focusing on us as a couple will help us be better parents. Just in time, since school starts Monday!

10:09 am by Penelope

Is Foster Care Adoption Risky?

When we began working in foster care over fifteen years ago there was very little risk involved for us. We worked in a group home and had no intentions of adopting any of the children who came through our home. Most of the kids were teenagers and not looking for a forever family, but a safe place to live. We were a mere step along their path to adulthood. We were fine with that.

foster-care-adoption-risks

A few years ago our hearts changed and we opened our own home as a foster home. This time, our intentions were to adopt through foster care. We have been licensed with our current foster care agency since November of 2010. One week after our license was approved we received “the call.” We were told upfront that our family would have to be open to adoption to accept the referral, but adoption could not be guaranteed. We accepted the referral and three days later we held our brand new baby girl, our “Sweet Potato Pie”  in our arms.

Foster Care Can Be Messy

Not unlike many other cases in foster care, the story of her family is a mess. This particular case is complicated with siblings, family placements and an individual who has used his political influence to misrepresent the parents. It is recommended by the state agency and the Foster Care Review Board for us to hire an attorney of our own to fight for parental termination of rights. The state is also pursuing this outcome.

In this case, our state adoptions agency has not completed the adoption home study packet. We began that process at the same time we applied for foster care. While we are in the process of being licensed to adopt our girl specifically, we still lack the final approval simply due to shortages of staff to handle the high caseloads.

Foster Parent Hires An Attorney

Hiring an attorney may get us closer to our sweet girl being legally free for adoption, but it will not guarantee us the ability to be the ones to adopt her. Legally, we could tie up thousands of dollars out of our pocket, only to have her returned to her parent due to political favors. Emotionally, our hearts could be broken. Realistically, this is foster care! Anytime you take a foster child into your home, you have no legal guarantees that you will be able to adopt your child. The state has the authority to move foster children at any time. Judges have the authority to send children back to their biological families. Foster children can be moved into placement with relatives who show up two years into placement.

Even with all of the legal risks, foster children deserve a safe and loving home to live in, even if it is only temporary. Legally, you may not have a guarantee for permanency, but you have the opportunity to invest your time and attention into a child who has lost their family. No matter the legal risk, the foster care system can not function without the support of loving foster homes.

Joy is a small town Mom with big girl dreams. She and her husband, Barry, have two biological children Jordan (13) and Riley (11)  and one beautiful foster baby girl, “Sweet Potato Pie” (9 months).  Joy is a writer and stay at home Mom advocating for foster care, families and sight for children with visual disabilities.

11:08 am by Penelope

What are Legal Risk Placements in Foster Care?

Our home is a dual-licensed foster home meaning that we are licensed for both foster care and adoption; however, we are currently only open for legal risk placements.  This week, our foster home worker sent us these FAQs on legal risk placements. Does this answer your questions or create more?

legal-risk-placements-in-foster-care

LEGAL RISK PLACEMENTS

Some Questions and Answers

A child is placed in an adoptive home when all rights of birth parents have been terminated.  There are times when this cannot happen because of legal complications involving the termination. When this happens we may consider an adoptive placement with potential adoptive parents who are willing to take the risk that parental rights may not be terminated or who are willing to wait for this to happen no matter how long it takes.

1. What is a legal risk placement?

A legal risk placement is the placement of a child(ren) into an adoptive home prior to a final order terminating parental rights.  OR, if termination of parental rights has taken place, and the biological parents have appealed the termination to an appeals court.

 

2. Why does the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services utilize “legal risk” placements?

Have you seen this movie “Losing Isaiah”?

This is a good question because some would suggest that no child be placed for adoption until all potential legal obstacles have been cleared.  TDPRS chooses to go ahead with a legal risk placement when the agency is reasonably confident that termination will occur.  It has been our experience that the wait for all court action to be finalized has created devastating consequences to the children in our Conservatorship.  In order to minimize the period of uncertainty in the child/ren’s life, TDPRS may proceed with a legal risk placement.  The Department will do all it can to expedite (or, speed up) the legal process and to reduce the risks of the adoptive placement being overturned.  Nevertheless, there can be no guarantees.  The Department recognizes that, if something goes wrong, then the family and child may face heartbreak and emotional trauma.  The Department is very cautious about utilizing legal risk placement prior to termination of parental rights.  Therefore, the Department will not consider making a legal risk placement unless it believes it has a good, solid care for termination.

Legal risk placements usually occur when a child needs to be moved from a foster home near the time the parental rights are to be terminated.  This move will only be made if it is our assessment that the child is ready to start bonding with the potential adoptive family.

 

3.  What requirements must a family meet in order to be considered for a legal risk placement?

A family must be licensed as foster parents until termination of parental rights occurs and must follow all rules and regulations that apply to foster parents.  The prospective adoptive family will need to be trained in CPR and First Aid prior to being licensed as foster parents.

The prospective adoptive family will have foster home worker who will visit the family once every two months and it will be important for the family to attend the six month review hearing (Chapter 18 Court Hearings) and the Permanency Planning Team meetings that affect the child placed in their home.

 

4.  Should an attorney be consulted prior to entering into a legal risk placement?

The Department strongly recommends that a family consult an Attorney regarding legal risk placements.  By consulting an attorney, the family will be able to obtain an assessment of the risks from a neutral source.

 

5.  When are legal risk placements made?

A placement is considered to be a legal risk when:

A.   parental rights have not been terminated;

B.   a parent has appealed the judgment terminating parental rights;

C.   a parent has taken action indicating that a termination judgment likely will be appealed.

 

6.  What risks must a prospective adoptive family consider?

The greatest risk is that a prospective adoptive family will have to give up a child. There are other factors a prospective adoptive family must consider.  For example, the family might have to provide continuing visits between the child and birth parents until termination takes place.  In addition, the prospective adoptive family will not be able to tell the child that they are their adoptive family until parental rights have been terminated.

Finally, the prospective adoptive family must recognize that the legal system can operate at a slow, unpredictable rate.  The termination hearing may be set and postponed time and time again.

 

7.  How long will the process take?

Because every case is different, this is an impossible question to answer.  Because of the legal process it sometimes takes six months or longer for parental rights to be terminated. After the termination hearing has been held, a court order must be drafted.  This order then must be approved by all parties and signed by the judge.  An estimate of the time involved in the process is 30 days, although it can take much longer. A biological parent has 30 days to appeal after the judge has signed the termination order and relatives specified in the law have 90 days to file intervention of interest for placement or contact.

 

8.  When does a legal risk placement become an adoptive placement?

The placement can change form legal risk foster placement to an adoptive placement 30 days after the judge has signed the termination order. The child may take the last name of the adoptive family at this time.

 

9.  What happens if a termination order is appealed?

Thirty days after the termination order has been signed, the status of the family changes from foster care to adoption.  Should the birth parents appeal the termination, they obtain an attorney who may challenge the termination order.  This appeal goes to an appellate court which can take six months to two years to hear the case.  If the termination order is overturned, the case will again go to trial.

 

10. Will the Department appeal when the children are ordered to be returned to their biological parents?

There is only a very slight possibility the Department may pursue an appeal.  The vast majority of trial court decisions are upheld.

 

Types of Legal Risks Placements:

1. Termination has occurred but birth parent is appealing (Regular adoptive placement);

2. No termination but the Department is reasonably confident termination will occur- Mainly uncontested terminations.  (Adoptive parents must be licensed as a foster home and cannot tell the child they are the potential adoptive family).

 

Legal Risk Placements Occur When:

1.  Parental rights are not terminated or Parental rights have been terminated and are under appeal;

2.  If no Termination, the termination of parental rights is likely to occur;

3.  A child needs to be moved from their foster home very near the time parental rights are to be terminated;

4.  The placements in an adoptive home can save the child extra move into another foster home;

5.  The child is ready to start bonding to their potential adoptive family;

 

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services will place children or families in legal risk situations only if:

A.  It is the best interest of the child;

B.  There is a high degree of probability that parental rights will be terminated; or

C.  Details have been discussed with the family.

 

Before a Legal Risk Placement can occur:

1.  A prospective family must be identified and they must be licensed as a foster family;

2.  The family must read the child’s Health, Social, Educational, Genetic and History Report before they meet the child;

3.  The family must read the child’s de-identified case record;

4.  The family must read and sign the Legal Risk Placement agreement with the Department.

 

OTHER OPTIONS:

Dual-Licensed Home: A Dual-Licensed family is a family who is licensed as both a foster family and an adoptive family. They will take both foster care placements and adoptive placements.  A child would be placed in the home as foster care placement.  If the child becomes legally free, the family has the option to adopt that particular child.   The family will also be considered for adoptive placement of other children who are not in their home.

Dual-Licensed families differ from Legal Risk families in the intent of the placement.  Legal Risk families are adoptive families who are licensed as foster families in order to take a legal risk placement.  The intent of the placement is adoption.  Dual-Licensed families are both adoptive and a foster family.  The adoptive placements are true adoptive placements.  The foster care adoptive placements are with the intent that the agency is working to return the child to the parent or relative.  It is true foster care placement.

 

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