Is there a way to foster kids for christmas?

Question

I was wondering if there was a way to have a child in foster care live with my family for christmas? Is there a way to do that?Can it be done in a short time or does it take months to be a foster parent any info about the subject would help?Also if anyone knows a site to find kids in your are that would help too?

i didn't mean just one day of the year I mean't for holiday time a couple weeks or somthing because I thought it would be nice for a child to come and have an actual christmas not just be stuck in a foster place. I'm a single mother with a 14 year old daughter and both of us thought it would be nice to let a child stay with us a while. I have been wanting to adopt or somthing for a long time. But I 've been to busy and for the rest of december and a little bit of January I won't be so I thought about giving it a try. Sorry I f that sounded mean or sothing earlier.

Answer 1

As a foster care social worker sometimes I wish we could just use a home, unfortunatly there is about a six month process of classes and homestudy's required before someone can foster a child.

If you are interested in short term fostering then you should contact your local child protective agency and chat with them.

There is something called "respite" where the children will stay at a different home a weekend or a week. The child will go there when the foster parents need a mental health break, or we have used them when foster parents have medical problems and need the children to to be placed somewhere.

Your question is a good one to bring awarness to respite, because we always need more respite homes. We have one home that gives respite to a single foster parent. The foster child considers it going to a grandparents house for the weekend and it have become a healthy, theuiputic time for the child. (and a much deserved time to breath for this terrific foster parent!)

So don't be discouraged. Take your excitement and talk to someone. It's won't be by christmas, but there can be other great times to have foster children!

Answer 2

One needs to be certified to be a foster parent. They don't place a child with a strange family just for a holiday, or with a family that hasn't been properly licensed and is really prepared, in all ways, to foster a child. Your intentions are in the right place, but think on a larger scale. There's a tremendous need for foster parents, but it's a huge commitment and will change your life. Contact the National Foster Parents Association to find out more about the necessary qualifications. If that's too much of a commitment, consider volunteering at a local shelter.

Answer 3

While your heart seems in the right place, you have to remember that these children are pulled from their homes and placed with strangers to show them love for one day is almost like a tease. Consider fostering all year. But to answer your question it usually takes months to become a foster parent. You and your family have to have a background check, take classes and go through an interview proccess. It is not a short-term commitment. If you want to give a child christmas consider adopting a family to buy presents for through a local church.

Answer 4

The answer to your question is yes and no. No, you cannot have a child who is still in foster care come and stay with you without being licensed by your state as a foster care provider, which generally takes time, classes and criminal background checks. My suggestion would be that if you want to give a foster child a good holiday without getting licensed, you consider former foster youth who are in college. A lot of colleges close their dorms over the holidays and former foster youth who are attending school there, who may not have a connection to their biological or former foster families, may find themselves homeless until the next term starts. If you want to do this, I would suggest going to www.statevouchers.org and looking up your state to see who handles ETV in your state and see if they know of any college kids in your area who need a place to stay. I hope this helps.

Answer 5

There was an episode of "Bewitched" in which they did that, so apparently it USED to be done.

But even if you could nowadays, I don't think it would be a good idea. That's just too stressful for the child, plus your motivation is in the right place but doesn't appear to be strong enough. If you truly wanted to foster a child it wouldn't just be for the holidays.

Another option. Bring gifts to an orphanage/group home/children's hospital, and also bring Christmas dinner to serve. Take your family and celebrate with those less fortunate. I'd guess to call Children's Services or something about how to set up a day like that.

Answer 6

This sounds like a really bad idea for several reasons.

1. It is mean to show the kid what he or she can't have by letting them hang around for the holidays (a stable middle-class lifestyle with all needs accounted for).

2. Just by providing for physical or material needs (warmth, shelter, a couple of Christmas presents) you are not prepared to accommodate their emotional needs. What do you say when one of the kids remarks that he wonders where his parents are on Christmas Eve, and wonders aloud if they are dead or drugged up in a gutter somewhere? Do you want you own children exposed to this?

3. Foster kids are pretty clever about placements. Seeing a temporary situation for all it is, they would rob you blind. And laugh about how dumb you are.

4. They would do all kinds of weird ghetto stuff like throwing dogs off the roof.

My advice would be that you should DONATE money or presents to some sort of social services group that provides for these children. This way, you can "feel good" about what you have done, never having to interact with anyone. Actual face-time with these individuals will definitely make you less idealistic, as you discover that they are pretty ungrateful people. Remember: these kids have problems and that's why the other foster parents decided that it still wasn't worth it to keep them in spite of all the money the government was paying them (which the probably wasted anyway) to keep the kids off the streets.

Also, I just re-read the question and saw that you have a 14 year old daughter(?!). How can you rationally consider opening your home to transients with her under your roof?

Answer 7

Foster Children ARE not aloud 2 leave 4 short periods of time they would Have to be with u for a long time And to get a fOSter child in ur care it takes time Court with everyone and more

Answer 8

Unfortunatly some human beings do look to foster teenagers purely to get the extra money they'd get for doing it. the money is barely assume for use to help the foster teenagers yet there are human beings accessible which will use the money the way they choose no longer worrying if the foster teenagers get all they choose. the money is assume to cover some on nutrition and utitilties and clothing stuff like that (purely like childsupport) yet some human beings do no longer understand that for the time of any respect. the money coming in could be adequate for garments (like numerous 3 months) or a occasion or christmas or regardless of is mandatory for the youngster if the foster mothers and fathers shop the money to apply for that yet many won't.

Answer 9

You would have to be approved as a foster carer, and the assessment can take up to 6 months. You then have to be approved by a panel and have health and police checks. It is a long process. If you are interested, contact your local authority's fostering team. Otherwise, you could go through a private fostering agency.

Answer 10

Foster kids are not pets that you can buy just once a year, it takes devotion, sincerity, and dedication. No foster kid wants to be felt sorry for just 1 day out of the year.