Foster Parenting - Denton, TX

I have been contacted by one company called the Arrow Project. You have to got through one month of classes and then can be assigned. I got their info through one of those bulliten boards you see on the road about child advocates needed. I also saw some listings about it on craigslist.com. Let us know what you find out.

Irving Bible Church (IBC) has a wonderful program called Tapestry for adoptive and foster parents, current, in-process, and those looking for more information. You don't have to be a member of the church (I'm not) to participate in the programs. I very highly recommend that you at least check them out.
Their website is http://www.irvingbible.org/index.php?id=759, and I notice that they have a foster care information meeting in September. They provide childcare free of charge for most of their events. Good luck!

I have a friend that was a foster parent for 5 years she knows all about it and can tell you all the ins and outs. Email her at ____@____.com would love to answer any questions you have.

N.,

We have been foster parents in Oklahoma and it was hard, but was a very good thing. There is such a need for foster parents. Or at least there was in Oklahoma.

We fostered a sibling group and ended up adopting them. Its one of the best things we've ever done in our life. I hope you will check it out and follow through. Good homes are so needed!

Blessings to you and your family!

A. S.

I am currently going through the licensing to become a foster parent to specifically adopt. (I appreciate all the positive words I've read.) You can contact the State agency, or a private agency. I use SafeHavens of Kornerstone. It is a christian based agency that works with the State. ###-###-####. You will need to go to an informational meeting by the state that is about 1 hour. These meetings are scheduled all around the area. It will give you a packet of information and then you can choose if you want to go directly through the state agency or through another agency that works with the state. I chose a christian agency to help me. They work with you as parnters and a support group. Several agencies now charge thousands of dollars to go through the program, But there are still several who do not. Kornerstone does not. There are classes to attend, and a list of items to get "checked off". The state is still legally responsible for these children while they are in your care, so they are trying to ensure the safety of the children. Going through the classes will help answer a lot of your questions....like, "How do I do this with children already in the home?" You will meet plenty of other foster/adoptive parents along the way. And as you have already heard, it is hard, but well worth it. Liz

Hi Niki,
You might call Southmont Baptist church in Denton, I went to a group that met there last year.
You can also call the Health and Human Services office in Denton County.
Good Luck
K.

My husband and I looked into foster parenting a while back, while my husband decided he wouldnt be able to handle the emotional pain of getting attached and then never seeing the child again I do have some good links to look into it provided you are in TX.

http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f_fospar.cfm

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/adoption_and_foster_care/Help...

http://www.fostercaremonth.org/NR/rdonlyres/0FB25E3E-BD9A...

http://nfpainc.org/aboutFP/getInvolved.cfm?page=2

http://www.fostercaremonth.org/Toolkit/StateFactSheets.htm

I think you go through CPS.
There's a couple in our church who are foster parents. It took a long time to get certified. There are classes that you have to take, requirements about space in your home, etc.

My husband and I have been foster parents for almost a year now. We have 3 children of our own and can foster up to 3 children at a time. I think it depends on what state you are in, depending on what is required. However, the best place to start is calling your local Child Protective Office or your local Department of Human Services and tell them that you are interested in become a foster parent and ask them to send you a packet of information. They will be able to answer all of your questions.

I too did foster care. There is a great need for this but it is very hard on the family. I was blessed with my daughter that I adopted from the foster care system.

Dear N.: My husband and I have been foster parents and it is a rewarding experience although it can be difficult emotionally. We did not have children of our own (although I am pregnant now) and so we were adoption motivated at the time since sometimes foster children become available for adoption. We got twin girls and wanted to adopt them but while we had them for 9 months, they went back to their bio family. CPS is very oriented to family reunification. If you are just planning to foster though it may not be as emotionally hard for you. We worked with Covenant Kids agency and they were great. There are many agencies to work with and they act as a liason and have resources you cannot get by working through CPS alone. Covenant Kids is in Arlington and you can call Sacha Bravenec at ###-###-#### x103. She can answer all your questions. Covenant Kids is great and do a good job. I also wanted to add that we went to an orientation and took several classes (CPR, medications class, behavior management) and there is a ton of paperwork but it is because you are licensed by the state even if you work through an agency. It was fairly fast and really depends on how quickly you complete training and paperwork. We did orientation in January, took classes in Feb & March, got our home ready in April & May (added cribs, safety features), finished paperwork in June, had the required home study about the 1st week of July and got a call on July 20th. There is a huge need for foster parents. If you heart & home is open it can happen quickly just depending on how quickly you go through the process. Good luck to you!

Good Luck!