Without the guidance of a responsible and caring adult, a child’s world is a perilous place. Thousands of children have to go through traumatic upbringings across the country. The fostering network is in place to alleviate the suffering of these young personalities but there is always a need for more helping hands.
Why do children go into foster care? The reasons are aplenty and quite depressing. In many cases, their parents have died and there is no one else in the family to take them in. There are also cases where parents are not able to provide basic care. There are instances where parents are incarcerated or they have addiction problems. It is not uncommon for children in foster care to have experienced physical and sexual abuse.
As we carry on with our everyday lives, it would be tragic on our part to not acknowledge the responsibility of the larger community towards our young generation. How long can we let this go on?
A Nationwide Concern:
Let us take a glance at the worrying statistics that the fostering network has to deal with. Every year, more than 250,000 children go into care. A large chunk of children age out of foster care – in other words, their development into adults is in the hands of the foster carers.
The worrying part about the current foster scenario is that half the children do not gain a proper livelihood by the time they reach their mid-twenties. Early pregnancies, reduced academic aptitude, and behavioral conditions like PTSD prevail higher in young people who age out of foster care.
If you are someone who cares about the future of your community, fostering provides the chance to make an immediate and rewarding impact. It also comes with its parameters and incentives that allow you to progress financially and develop your own fostering skills. Kids in foster care also lack in the areas of health and personal development. These problems are rooted in the fact that a huge section of the children do not get foster homes to live in. There just aren’t enough foster parents in the USA! Institutions and group homes are not the best places for an individual to experience a secure, progressive childhood.
But there is hope through all these concerning stats. Foster carers who come into the network can be the guiding light for these thousands vulnerable, yet potential-filled children.
Becoming A Foster Parent:
What are some of the things that change in your life when you become a foster parent? Fostering gives you more responsibility and helps you understand your society better. You may have to deal with behavioral issues but the gratification of addressing a child’s problem and helping children overcome their mental barriers is precious. Your scheduling will need to accommodate your new responsibilities. There will be meetings with other stakeholders every month. In this process, you will get to meet the brightest and most passionate personalities in the fostering network – social workers, medical practitioners, and other volunteers. There will be a bit of work required around the house too. There are certain prerequisites in terms of living and sleeping space so your young ward will not have privacy compromised (and you too!). You can learn more about how becoming a foster parent will change things.
How To Become A Foster Parent?
Let us glance over the basic prerequisites for you to become a foster parent. You will have to be at 21 years old and you will need to provide basic livelihood details and references. A background check will also be done to ascertain that you have no serious criminal records and you will also have to complete the required set of paperwork at each stage of the process – and there will be enough guidance from fostering network representatives.
There are many advantages to being a foster parent. The emotional and parent-like guidance you provide is a joyous experience for you too. You will be building a lasting relationship, welcoming a stranger who will eventually walk out of the door one day as an integral part of your extended family.
Fostering also comes with financial help from the relevant departments so you can go about your duties and the child can be comfortable. You will also receive guidance at every step of the fostering process and become an expert in the long run. Many foster parents continuously take in children who need care because of the experience they garner. Be a responsible citizen and share your home and life with someone who needs it very badly. Consider the many merits of fostering.
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