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Foster CareFrequently Asked Questions | Office Locations |
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here to find out about upcoming foster parent trainings.
The United Methodist Children's Home is very proud of the growing number of families who partner with us to provide care for children in their homes. Working from Alabama offices in Jasper, Selma, Dothan, Troy, Andalusia, Bay Minette and Evergreen and from our Milton office in Florida, we serve 37 counties.
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Our foster care program has four major parts: Foster Parent Training, Foster Home Licensure and Approval, Placement of Children and Supervision of Children in Care.
All of our programs are recruiting families who are interested in finding out more about foster care. Join this team of special people opening up their hearts and homes to care for troubled children.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - If you have questions about foster care, this is the link for you.
Office Locations - Who to contact for more info.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)What can I expect from being a foster parent? What do I have to do to become a foster parent? Are there different levels of foster care commitment? Am I too old to be a foster parent? Am I too busy to be a foster parent? I’m single. Can I still be a foster parent? Does my income have to be at a certain level? How much would I be compensated for being a foster parent? What if I live outside of the Children’s Home’s service
area for foster care? Joy. Heartbreak. Laughter. Frustration. Just about any emotion you can think of. These kids have been through the ringer and will need a lot from you. But their beauty, their strength, their wisdom and their individuality will likely change your perspective on everything. Foster kids can be any age and any race. You may be asked to help the child prepare for reunification with the birth family, or the birth family may be completely out of the picture. Foster care is meant to be temporary and is not intended to be a first step toward adoption. But sometimes children will stay with the same foster families until they are old enough to be on their own, and sometimes the foster family will adopt. Most importantly, you won’t be alone. You will have the support of our case workers, social workers from county agencies and other foster parents to help you on your journey. back to questions What do I have to do to become a foster parent? The first step is to call us. If you live in one of the counties we serve, you can sign up for a free 10-week course that will introduce you to foster parenting and help you decide if it is really for you. Once you complete the course, other training, applications and evaluations are required to become certified. You do not have to make a commitment to foster care to enroll in the course. In fact, Janet Rawls at our office in Troy says, “I prefer students not to know that this is what they want to do by the first class.” We are here to help you decide. back to questions Are there different levels of foster care commitment? Yes. Many choose to dedicate themselves to providing Respite Care for full-time foster families. Children are usually in-house for a weekend at a time. Therapeutic Foster Care is intended for children whose emotional needs are beyond what families with less training can offer. These children have a state social worker assigned to them, but also a Children’s Home case worker who is available, 24 hours a day, for help. The child lives with the foster family full-time. Regular Foster Care requires less training than Therapeutic Foster Care, and needs less professional support. We recruit and train regular foster parents from our office in Milton, Florida. Enhanced Care is foster care for groups of brothers and sisters. We train these parents just as we do therapeutic families. back to questions Am I too old to be a foster parent? Many of our foster parents are grandparents who are still able to be responsive to the children’s needs (a requirement at any age). We even have an 80-something who provides Respite Care! If you are interested, sign up for the 10- week course (see above). We can evaluate your limitations and strengths and make a determination from there. back to questions Are you 25 or older? Then, not for Therapeutic Foster Care. Regular foster parent minimum age is 19 back to questions Am I too busy to be a foster parent? This is a valid concern, but some of our foster parents are doing things like pursuing college degrees and working. Even with this busy schedule, they are still able to take care of their own children plus continue to be therapeutic foster parents. If this is your calling, the time will take care of itself. And we can help you make that decision. back to questions I’m single. Can I still be a foster parent? Absolutely! Some of our best foster parents are single. back to questions Does my income have to be at a certain level? There is no set amount that foster parents have to make. However, your income should be able to provide basic needs for a foster child even without the compensation that the state pays to foster parents (board payments). If there are delays in processing board payments, we want to be sure that the child will be taken care of until the payments come through. back to questions How much would I be compensated for being a foster parent? State board payments for therapeutic foster parents are $1,100 - $1,300 per month. Children who improve in therapeutic foster care may step-down to regular foster care which pays $400 - $600 per month in Alabama and $300 - $400 in Florida. back to questions What if I live outside of the Children’s Home’s service area for foster care? In Alabama, contact your county’s Department of Human Resources office. In Florida, the Families First Network takes care of foster families. Or for something a little different, you might consider applying to be a relief childcare worker at one of our group homes. back to questions |
Office Locations
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