Complaint on clothing!

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=pktull]pktull[/url]. We had an incident this past winter in our county where foster parents were taking their "clothing" voucher and purchasing coats. We also get a "coat" voucher in the winter time. When the store submitted the vouchers for payment, they didn't receive it because what was purchased was different from the voucher. Anyway, the store stopped accepting vouchers until payment was made. You are not alone. This is a sad statement to make. There are foster parents who take advantage of the system for themselves. When WIC is used, how much is actually benefited by the foster child vs. the rest of the family. These foster parents generally aren't the ones who visit web sites such as these. They are in it for themselves and the children suffer. I hear people say that you can't make money foster parenting. This is a true and false statement. If you use the benefits that the foster child is supposed to receive for yourself, then you can make money. If all a foster parent gives is three hots and a cot, then yes, that foster parent can profit. I'm not going to say what should happen to these foster parents as there may be children reading these things. You have opened up my can of worms, my soap box, or whatever you may call it.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=jnsearcy]jnsearcy[/url]. Hi, I feel for you ladies! But my story is that I got my two straight from the home with almost no clothes. Most items were either too small or permently stained. My county does not issue valchers but refunds. They allow 200 each child a year. They only want 100 to be spent for the winter and 100 per summer. You can only guess how far 100.00 went for my two? I was told at MAPP class not to buy used clothes for foster children, but how can you buy all new clothes for a child for only 100? Undies and leather school shoes and church shoes total that! I love to find nice clothes at the consignment stores and yard sales. (carter-oskosh -old navy-landsend) Most of the kids daycare and play clothes are gently used clothes. I dont feel there is anything wrong with giving a child a nice wardwrobe? My kids are transitioning back into the home and I have sent the mom huge amount of clothes, shoes, toys, and books! And there is still lots more to send! Quality and quanity who can ask for more? Please let me know if anyone else is doing like me? nina in nc

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=jab40]jab40[/url]. The agency that we go through only gave us 50 dollars for emergency clothing when our foster child came. With him he only had 2 pair of jeans (one which didnt fit him), a pair of sweat pants, one long sleeve shirt, and a short sleeve shirt, and two pair of socks. And we got him in the middle of June. You are not automatically given this emergency fund, when the child comes you must fill out what clothing he has then it has to be approved. Each month out of the money that you are paid you must buy 50 dollars in clothes (along with other stuff you must provide and have receipts for everything you buy. Of course you are not reimbursed for the month until the end of the next month. At the end of the each month you must turn in all reciepts ( which must be new clothes and not from second hand stores). Plus when the child leaves your home you must fill out what clothes leaves your home. Doing it this way, I guess they are making sure that the child leaves with what he brings and what is bought for him.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. We do get a voucher depending on the child and the need. We have two places to choose from to shop at (Target and Fred Meyers). Let's face it, you can't supply a whole warddrobe at 200.00. It's a start though until you can start receiving the monthly clothing allowance. I do shop a couple used clothing stores, yard sales, clearance racks, outlet stores, and Ross Dress 4 Less. I got my 11 year old three pair of Lee Pipes for only 10.00 at the Lee outlet in Centralia, WA. I also shop the back to school sales the weekend before school starts. I got the same boy a 64.00 pair of Schecher tennis shoes for only 11.00! Then at Ross I got him three other really nice (he says anyway, not my style) pair of jeans for 9.00 each. So I used his clothing voucher last to see what we didn't find on sale. We bought his pajamas, sweats, shirts, underwear & socks, belt and so on at Target. Even with the careful shopping and the voucher, I spent over 100.00 on him. But, he's good to go now. And for his birthday, I found what he wanted more than anything on Ebay, a Nintendo 64 w/three games, memory card and rumble pack for only 50.00 w/shipping! That seemed really cheap to me. Luckily, he was the only one I had left to buy for since it was the last minute.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=foster parent]foster parent[/url]. no your not the only one when we get kid's they tell us that they have nnothing to wear and when we look at what comes with them they are right

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=gerberdaisy]gerberdaisy[/url]. We are still in the homestudy process, but our caseworker told us that we should inventory the child's belongings when they first arrive and when they leave our house. I don't see a problem with buying gently used clothing. In fact, I buy gently used clothing for our ds at garage sales, Ebay, consignment shops, Goodwill, etc. I don't see the point in buying expensive name brands purchased new and full price. My sister has even made the comment that she can't tell when he is wearing gently used clothing. Of course, all the children will get new undies and socks however. We don't recycle those unless they are baby socks which don't get used and worn out. I will also buy everyday sneakers or shoes brand new, but maybe buy dress shoes gently used. And of course for babies, I will get each one a new blankie that they will get to keep.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. I called DCFS today and talked to the lady in charge of the vouchers. I asked her if we could have one of the local used clothing stores as a place to use the voucher, she said that she wasn't sure and would get back to me. By the end of the day she called me back, and now we can spend our vouchers there. To cool. Dollars will stretch farther.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=seypup]seypup[/url]. it is so sad to hear that about other foster parents. i have only received from home, but we did respite once. my husband was mad at me. we spent almost more than we received. they had pajamas that we hand me downs from her kids that we too small ( and they were sleepers so all you who are women can imagine how too small sleeper pajamas feel!) and she gave him a hard time for losing a pair of shoes at IKEA when she left him at the play area so she could shop with her own kids. i ended up buyng him a pair of shoes. my heart just broke for those two. we took pictures of them together and with their mom because they didn't have any. made nice little albums for them and when we went to visit them a month later on her birthday, the foster mom had put them up for safekeeping and wouldn't let them look at them! we finally had our own foster kids, and when we sent our little ones home, i sent over 9 boxes of toys and clothes. and i have a ton left here that they outgrew. i do like many of you. i use the vouchers for underwear, pajams, socks, etc, but i use goodwill and consignment storess to get them started. couldn't afford it otherwise. my agency actually suggested that i keep a stock of toys and outfits in different sizes from goodwill so that i would have some on hand for emergency placements. i was so glad that i did. i even had new under wear in various sizes. they came with almost nothing and filthy! PK, you are so right! i just can't believ that some people will try to profit off of the kids like that. these were "christians" that looked down on my husband and i for not being "christian" enough! and with christians like that in the world, no wonder religion is a dirty word to some people! i guess it is up to the rest of us to let people know what a good foster home can be and how much it can help children. good luck lonnie, just keep turning those people in! maybe our state should require recepits every month too! i saw somewhere (I think PA) that they have a minimum clothing requirement list and i think a copy of it is on this site. they must have the minimum to return home or trasnfer to another foster home. maybe we should contact the wa state foster parent association and see if we can get that instituted here too! jan

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. That's a good idea! There should be a minimum of "good" clothing the child should have. At least a starter wardrobe. You know the children have a hard enough time dealing with whatever their situation is. I want them to be happy and wear/have nice things while they are here. It's just impossible to keep up with when the turnover is high, and you are constantly spending hundreds of dollars when a child has nothing. Then three times I have been given a foster child days before their birthday (from another foster home) and not come with any presents. You would think if you had a child in your home for 10 months, you would have bought them a b-day present. I guess my big gripe was this last placement, I got him days before his birthday and it was the beginning of school. He had no decent clothes. No school supplies or b-day present. Nothing. With having to buy for 5 others just before him, my pocketbook was had been stretched as far as it could. So I was on burnout. Anyway, thank you everyone for listening to me gripe about something petty like money and supporting me on it. I don't feel so bad about it now and don't plan on letting someone do that to me again. I will ask the next time they call, "Does the child have decent clothes to wear?" or "When's their birthday?" lol

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=foster parent]foster parent[/url]. we seem to always get the kids who do not have clothes thay fit them to small holes or girls tops that we will not let them out of the house with them on. in some cases we do get voucher for clothes. what do you do when a child realy starts growing puts on weight

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. Well, this is what I do. First I started saving all the good clothing that ALL my children outgrow. Then I went to Wal Mart and bought a bunch of those 3.44 Rubbermaid storage containers. I also bought a couple large industrial shelving units (on sale for 19.99). Luckily, I have a two bedroom sized loft that I store things in. I sorted the clothing that I have saved over the years, labeled the containers to the sizes of clothing. I put boys and girls together because sometimes they are universal and if I don't need them, I leave them in the container. I put infants in one container (0-24 months), Toddlers (2-4 or 5) in another, then (6-8), (10-12), (14-16+) in the last. Sometimes I have two to three containers of some sizes. I am always shopping for quality clothing at garage sales, clearance racks and wholesale stores. I always end up using them. I also trade with other friends, family and foster parents. This works for toys and furniture also. Maybe not a whole wardrobe, but at least I'm prepared for a quick emergency.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=seypup]seypup[/url]. we must be soul mates lonnie. larry hates when those tubs are on sale. i do exactly what you do and have them in corners of closets all over the house. i am addicted to them! the birthday story is funny too. the last little one we had, had his birthday a few days after we got him, but because it was a three day weekend and they were an emergency placement, i had no access to any info until tuesday. i called for their birthdays/ages/etc for school/daycare and the desk clerk said "you aren't going to believe this, but you better break out the birthday cake." 5 pm on a tuesday night. luckily he was four and his mom hadn't told him his birthday was coming up so the next day we just told him guess what? its your birthday! i needed the day for presents and cake! but if this happens all the time, maybe i should just keep a cake mix and frosting in the cupboard for those little birthday emergencies! doesn't it seem odd that you are all moving kids around on their birthdays?

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. I can't believe that they do move them on or close to their birthdays. I guess this last case just burned me bad and I just needed to vent somewhere. Sorry guys that it had to be you. I just couldn't believe this woman had spent 200.00 dollars on my fs in clothing. And to have him for over 9 months and ship him off right before his birthday and before school started and not send a thing??????? No school supplies, no decent clothing and no birthday present! :( This woman was just heartless. I can only hope that she will run across this post somehow and know that it is her that I am talking about.

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=foster parent]foster parent[/url]. yes the system does do things that normal would not do or could not do, like moveing kids around like they have no feelings

This message was originally posted by [url=http://forums.adoption.com/old_boards.php?username=Live2shop]Live2shop[/url]. It's sad.