One reason people share for not becoming a foster parent is the fear of becoming too attached and then, having to say goodbye. When a child enters the foster care system the goal is to reunify him with his parents. Extenuating circumstances can change this goal over time, but this is generally the initial goal.
The foster parents who a child is placed with will likely have to say goodbye after a period of time. This sounds scary to a lot of people, and rightfully so. It’s hard to open yourself to the idea of pain, to having to say goodbye. Becoming a foster parent is risky business. So why would you do it? Because her heart matters. His heart matters. You become a foster parent because kids need families who will care for them and their hearts are hurting.
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Being a foster parent is a big call and there are often misconceptions of who is qualified to answer it. Some believe they must have an idyllic life story, or be super-parents. Many believe they have to own a home, be wealthy or be a saint. Let’s clear up a few of those misconceptions!
Here are 5 qualifications of a foster or adoptive parent: The national number of kids in foster care has been rising for the past 5 years. According to the most recent Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), there were 427,910 kids in foster care in 2015. 269,509 kids entered the system in 2015 and only 243,060 exited the system.
To make matters worse, estimated numbers show nearly 50% of foster parents leaving the system each year. With a rising number of kids needing families, either short term or long term, and foster parents leaving the system, who will take care of these kids? Recently we’ve even heard stories of kids having to spend the night in offices with social workers because no families were available. Can you imagine? Young kids without a home spending the night in an office on one of the worst nights of their lives. This is where you come in. Kids are in desperate need of loving foster families. Families who listen to the call to care for kids from hard places, whether through foster care or adoption, need support. Both individual families and the church as a whole can see benefits when kids from hard places are brought into families within the church community.
Here are 5 benefits of foster and adoptive families being involved in the church: Extended Faith Community Kids from hard places often have a hard time trusting adults. By involving these kids in a healthy faith community they start to learn not all adults are bad. Having a variety of positive influences in their lives, outside of their parents, is healthy for any kid, but can be especially healthy for these kids. Peggy Drexler, Ph.D. reports on the positive benefits seen in children who attend church with their families. She says: “simple acts like reciting prayers and getting dressed each week for service can help impart a feeling of safety and groundedness.” Engage the Church in Its Calling Christians are all called to take care of orphans. James 1.27 says: ”Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” While most families in the church won’t bring a child into their home, there are plenty of other ways to help and support families fostering or adopting kids. By recruiting families through the church we are helping the church as a whole to better engage it’s calling. We asked a handful of our Project 1.27 families things they would like their Support Team to know for their first Christmas as foster parents.
For most of us, the holiday season is a time we look towards with anticipation. Crisp weather, holiday foods and family traditions. But for many kids from hard places, the holidays are a time of remembering emotional stress, financial struggles and substance abuse. These memories can cause a lot of chaos in a foster home. If you or members of your church are looking for ways to care for foster families during this time of year, here are a few ideas: ![]() Wrap Gifts - Offer to store and wrap gifts for all children in the family. Including needed batteries would be an extra-special surprise. Stuff Stockings - Fill stockings with small, fun items for children and parents. Include practical things like funny socks, lip balm and colored pencils along with a small toys or game. It is our vision to see the church step up to fulfill the call in James 1:27… Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.
Our Current Mission: Create a Bridge Between the Church and State to Place Kids in Families We as the Church are called to care for widows and orphans but in modern society kids whose parents aren’t providing for their safety and well-being are often “cared for” by the state foster care system. Most members of the body are simply unaware of the need kids have for great foster and adoptive families. Others are trying to help but they can only do so much. This leaves many kids waiting for a family. We can do better. Many of us look forward to the holiday season. We anticipate all of the things that we love...crisp weather, favorite seasonal foods, and family traditions. As you know, not everyone shares the same sentiment. Often the memories of previous holidays for children from hard places are overshadowed by chaos, financial struggles, and substance abuse. How can we best celebrate this season while also honoring the challenges others might be facing?
Here are a few suggestions for a holiday visit with the foster or adoptive family you have committed to support: It’s no secret there is a need for families to care for kids in foster care. There are over 400,000 kids in the system nationally. Some of them are unnecessarily living in group homes instead of with a family.
Being a foster family is a big commitment. We’re sure you have a lot of questions. Let’s get started by answering one of the most important: How is fostering able to make a long-term impact on kids in foster care and their biological families? Fostering makes a difference; here are 5 reasons why: Sometimes our language can be damaging without us even realizing it. When we are talking to someone who has an experience different than our own, it is important to be mindful of the things we say and the questions we ask. When we engage children from hard places we need to be sensitive to the words and topics that may be painful or uncomfortable for them.
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