Foster Parents: Did you know?

Communication

Part 3 of 3

In this series, we are going to explore the world of communications in the realm of the court system.

We had just made a statement: Your job is not to just be paid but to study to show thyself approved before God.  What does it mean to care for children in every realm of their well-being, it means that you must also understand his/her rights?

We finish that statement: Would you be proud of your accomplishments in this child’s life or would you just tell Him that you did the best you could? 

What if this was your child caught up in the system? Would you not want a voice for him/her, someone who had the fortitude to speak up on his/her behalf? Of course, we would.

Questions: How can we improve communications between those involved in a child’s care? Can we trust social workers to look out for us, the ones taking all the risks having a foster child in our homes? Where does this leave us in the area of communications? 

"The genius of communication is the ability to be both totally honest and totally kind at the same time."
John Powell

Answer: We can start by being present in the courtroom whenever the foster child’s case is reviewed. We can make sure the judge, who is making the decisions on behalf of this child in our care, has accurate facts regarding the child rather than misconstrued statements by someone who may see this child three times a year. Foster parents can present the bigger picture about this “ward of the court.” This is the beginning of communication.

The court or our agencies should notify foster parents of hearing dates; however, we cannot rely on this to take place without some effort on our part. We should call frequently and ask if there are any hearings scheduled for your foster children.  There are times when notification slips through the cracks, but with any luck it will be the exception and not the rule.

It is imperative that foster parents study up on state statutes, agency manuals, rules and regulations. You cannot follow rules if you have no idea what they are. You cannot watch out for yours or your child’s rights if you do not know what they are. This is your responsibility. Keep a journal with all incidents that take place in your home. Read our article Documentation, How important is it?

This is being a responsible foster parent.

Read more of our articles Article Your Agencies role  / Article One Small Voice /  Inadquate Training

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