10 Facts You May Have Not Known About Fostering

1. You don’t have to be a homeowner to foster. Having an apartment or rented space is perfectly acceptable for fostering as long as you have clean and comfortable conditions suitable for raising a child.
2. Asking a foster child questions about their past can be harmful. Some children undergo extreme difficulties and trauma in their existing homes and may become uncomfortable or upset when questioned about the reasoning for their placement in foster care.
3. Children in foster care are much more likely to drop out of school than non-foster children. Being moved from home to home and school to school places children at a higher chance of failing academically, as they are constantly changing environments and losing focus. On average, over one-third of foster children will have moved schools at least five times before aging out of the system.
4. Teenagers in foster care want and deserve homes just as much as younger children. Despite being close to aging out of the system, teens still require love, shelter, and support to become successful adults. Most look forward to obtaining drivers licenses and cars, which without an active parent or guardian is nearly impossible.
5. You have more support than you might think. People underestimate the number and spread of foster parents around the country. These individuals have or are undergoing the same things you are and are an amazing resource for help and support. We at Kamali’I provide classes, support groups, and events for you to participate in to receive all the help you may need during this big adjustment.
6. Foster children may not understand why they were removed from their homes. When a child is accustomed to certain living conditions, they may not know that these conditions are in fact wrong or unhealthy. Oftentimes, it may take a child a bit of time to come to realize how a family and household should work, and that there are better things for them than what they have experienced before.
7. Parents make mistakes. Just because a child is removed from their home, doesn’t mean their biological parents are evil people or that you should hate them. The best thing to do with any situation is to simply support the child in the best way you can to keep them on track to staying healthy, happy, and successful.
8. Social media is not always a safe choice. Always think twice before you post any information, photos, or videos regarding a child in your care. Some states, in fact, prohibit it as it allows children to be tracked down. There exists a large population of child predators that specifically target foster children, and it is your duty as a parent to ensure their safety.
9. Foster adoption is the least costly way to adopt. Adopting a child out of foster care generally ranges from $0 – $2,500, while domestic and international infant adoptions are priced significantly higher and much more difficult to accomplish.
10. Fostering a child is worth any difficulties. Giving a child a comfortable home and watching them grow and develop into his or her best self is one of the most beautiful and rewarding experiences you can have, no matter any challenges you may face in the process.