Becoming a foster carer is nothing short of a service to the state by being a part of the team that nurtures and develops the young minds of the country, the future generation. It is a way of giving children deprived of a healthy family, a second shot at childhood, providing them with a safe and secure space to stay where they can be stress-free and be childlike is simply a joyful task to handle.
If you choose to be a foster carer, you can opt to be a short-term carer, a long-term one or an emergency carer. There are different kinds of care requirements and in certain cases, the child can be a specially-abled one as well. In some cases, the foster child will be a mother and her baby or other kinds of situations where they cannot be separated.
Why Do Children End Up In Foster Care?
There are several situations where a child is put into foster care. Here are some of the reasons why the family court decides to do this.
- Physical abuse: One of the common reasons is repetitive physical abuse by the biological parents, resulting in the child being bruised physically as well as mentally. It can also mean restraining him in a locked space as well.
- Sexual abuse: Another reason where the child is mistreated by the parents and has to be removed for his own good.
- Neglect: Neglect of any sort, be it medical or for the basic needs of the child by the parents can cause them to be removed from the family.
- Incarceration: During a situation where the parent is undergoing incarceration, and the child has no relative to reside with, he is placed into foster care.
- Abandonment: If the biological parents abandon the child at the sitters or any other place and never look back, they are taken into the state custody.
- Death: The untimely death of parents and lack of immediate parents can result in this as well. In such cases, the foster carer can adopt the child as well if they wish to do so.
- Voluntary: In certain situations where the parent is affected by a fatal disease or is not in a situation to take care of the child, they can opt to place the child in foster care as well.
Who Can Be A Foster Carer
Anyone with a roof over their head and a kind heart can become a foster carer. A lot of potential foster parents do not realize this and that they could be the ones to change some lives. You can be single, married, separated, rich or poor and become a foster carer. All that matters is that you will be bringing in some light into a child’s life.
However being emotionally stable, having a good relationship with your family and having peace at your home can help you be a better foster carer by setting a better example as well as creating a peaceful environment where the child can thrive in. In fact, you should also know that if the child has experienced sexual trauma, then there’s a good chance that they might be suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.) In that case, it would be best to seek professional help and help the little one get over the unpleasant experience.
Rewards And Allowances
Expense forms a huge part of raising a child. This is more in the case of a child who has to face harsh situations as well. They will need to opt for hobbies and other classes which you will have to drive them to and pay for. You will also require money to provide for them in terms of clothes, food, and other requirements. The state provides a fund called allowance every week to the foster carers for such expenses.
Rewards are the remuneration you get paid every month for doing this service. It varies based on the facilities you can provide and the years of experience you have in the field. You can find everything you need to know about foster care here.
The Support System
When a child is extracted from unfavorable situations and placed in foster care, the experience can be hard on the parents at times. The child may have gone through a lot of pain and stress and will take time to be normal again. If you are a foster carer, there will be a strong support system and backing from the agency to help you handle the situation and the child.
You will also receive sufficient pre-service classes where you will be trained and provided with some access to ongoing support as well. All of these will equip you to take care of the child efficiently and effectively. You will never be alone in the process with the help of all the forms of support provided.
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