The Needs For Foster Care

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The need for foster care homes in our community is considerable, but there is a critical shortage of foster families available. Numerous families consider opening their homes and hearts to children in need and only consider the positive benefits that they can offer to a foster child without also considering the possible repercussions that action can have on their own children. The decision to become a foster parent is not a simple one to conceive as there are a few very crucial factors that must be taken into account before deciding to start the fostering process; one of those factors is their own biological children and the impact it will have upon them. Without proper preparation, training, and realistic expectations, the social well-being of birth children will be greatly impacted. Michele Harp, a researcher with the Nebraska State foster care review board, states “Although states provide foster care training programs and literature addresses the challenges facing foster families, such coverage is inadequate, unavailable, or not yet accessed by the perspective foster families seeking to make an informed decision related to fostering” (Harp). This paper will argue that without proper trainings for the entire family, biological birth children will be affected negatively by the fostering process. The process of becoming a foster parent is not difficult. There are a series of steps that must be completed prior to becoming licensed; they include an orientation, home study and trainings. Usually, it is only the adults that attend an orientation where a discussion is held to learn what is involved in the fostering process, such as, who are the children in need of homes, what the requirements are to become a licensed foster home,... ... middle of paper ... ...ded to birth children to support them throughout the process because their feelings have a tremendous impact on the outcome of foster placements in the home. Including the birth children in the process decreases the chance of them being effected negatively and increasing the chance of it becoming one that is successful. Psychotherapist and social work consultant Gill Martin’s quote sums it up, “It is not just the parents who foster, it is the whole family” (Martin)

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