How Long Does It Take to Get My First Foster Child Placement?
Waiting can be difficult once you’ve been approved to become a foster parent. You feel apprehensive, nervous, and excited all at the same time. You want to give yourself plenty of time to adequately prepare for a child, but you also don’t want to wait months. So, when are you going to obtain your first foster child placement? The answer is different for everyone, and it is determined by a number of factors.
The Foster Child Placement Waiting Game
How Long Does it Take to Get My First Foster Child Placement? - Kids First, Inc. Fort Worth TX
The first factor determining how long you might have to wait is the number of foster children in your city. Some towns have a greater number of children in need than others, as well as an abundance or scarcity of foster parents. If you’ve been accepted to foster, chances are you’re familiar with and knowledgeable about the foster community in your area. Connect with other foster parents in your area and find out how long it took them to receive their first placement, or simply contact us at Kids First if you have any questions.Your waiting period will be strongly influenced by the types of children you are willing to foster. If you can accept special needs children, trauma children, and teenagers, you would have a much speedier placement than if you can only accept young children. Children with complicated issues are common in foster care. However, finding foster families that are suitable for them is more difficult. However, do not commit to take a child for whom you are not entirely prepared. It is far more essential for those children to find a good environment in which to thrive.Due to the general increase in kinship care in many locations, the foster child placement process is taking longer for some parents. Kinship care is when family members look after children who would otherwise be placed in foster care. There are numerous advantages to this, and it ultimately supports the primary objective of foster care, which is to reconnect children with their parents when the time is right. However, there are still many children who do not have this option and need a foster home.
Worth the Wait
Your first foster child will be well worth the wait, no matter how long it takes. Being able to offer safety, care, and support for a child in need is an incredible experience. All of the anguish and concern that accompanied your wait will soon be forgotten.If you are ready to start talking about fostering, we are here to help. Contact Kids First today and make a difference in a child's life.