A few more fostering questions & answers

Here are a few more questions I've received.
1.So how old were your children when you decided to begin fostering? 14,12,11,11,and 3 years old. We started fostering because we knew a child in foster care "Samantha" and we wanted to get her out of the system.


2.My inlaws live in France, and we try to visit them there every 2-3 years. Would they have to be approved to stay in our home (when they visit) if we had foster children too?
You probably will not be able to carry a foster out of the country. That would be up to DFCS and the birth family. As far as your relatives coming, you have to inform DFCS if you have anyone that stays in your home for an extended period of time. I'm thinking extended means more than a couple of nights, but not real sure.

3.And, have you ever had to refuse to keep a foster child because of dangers to your own family? Not so far I haven't...thank goodness ,but I know several families who have had to return kids because they couldn't control them/handle them. I've came very close a couple of times, but I stuck it out and so far I've not sent one back.


4.When you have a child (or children) in your care, what are the rules about travel with them?
You need to inform your case worker anytime you take a trip/spend the night away from home. If you are crossing state lines you have to have a paper signed by the case worker and the birth parents giving you permission. I had a little 14 month old that I kept for one week for another family because the birth parents refused to let them vacation with their child.

5.Do they need their own separate bedroom? Girls need a girls room and boys need a boys room. You can have up to 4 kids in a room here in our state, but my rooms wouldn't hold 4 separate beds and all have to have their own bed. If you only have one extra bedroom then you can only choose to take just girls or just boys.

6.What about doctor appointments, do you go to your own doctor, or take them to one set up already? You will have to talk to your doctor. My doctor is also a family friend,so he will see my foster kids if I need him to. However, I usually take mine to the closest pediatrician that excepts medicaid. All fosters are covered by medicaid. However, you have to have a paper signed by the state saying that child is in your custody and a copy of their medicaid cards.

If you have anymore questions about anything, just ask:)