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Hello all! I have a random question. I posted this in the "Becoming A Foster Parent " forum, but if this one gets more responses, I'll delete the other.At the time of the home study, do you already have to have beds and furniture for the child's room? Or can you just show them the empty room and tell them that this is where the child's room will be (and wait til you're approved to buy all the furniture and things)?i'm just confused because if they do require you to already have the neccessary furniture and beds before the homestudy, what if you aren't approved? Then you just spent a ton of money on kids' furniture that you aren't going to use?Any insight is appreciated!
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We have been foster parents for about 20 years. I don't remember about beds in all the rooms, but I do know we had one room furnished. However we just 3 months ago received a call about a sibling group of 5. I had bunk beds in the room and the bottom was a double. I picked up a single bed at a yard sale that same day and my husband made a trundle to slide out each day from under the bunk beds. I could not buy a trundle, had to order one and they wanted one right away. They will not let 2 kids sleep in a bed. Everyone has to have their own bed. We keep an extra mattress or foam under some of the beds for an emergency or for overnight quests. They go by room size as to how many can sleep in a room. Trundles are great if the room is small.
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I don't know what state you are in, but I've found it is VERY rare that people aren't approved for fostering. I know here (Hawaii) children are placed in homes (doing what they call "special licensing") before families are officially approved because there is such a need for foster homes. I was called to take a newborn the day I was called and told I had been licensed and I didn't have ANYTHING ready. I had to run out and buy an infant seat in the hour I had before the baby was delivered to my house -- that way I could take the baby and shop for the rest of what I needed (formula, diapers, etc.)!
I doubt they will expect you to have everything ready -- but talk to the social worker who is doing your homestudy, they can tell you what they expect.
good luck!
sally
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We're in Ohio & when we became licensed (5 years ago) and when we transferred agencies (2 months ago) we didn't have the furniture for foster children in place. We just had to tell them where the children would be - for instance we currently are using 1 bedroom as a playroom and COULD use that if we needed to or our 3 year old son has a room to himself that he could share as does our 6 year old son. Our 6 & 3 year old daughters share a room but it is quite large & we could add another child there as well. They are mostly just interested in WHERE the child will be, especially if you are open to any age. I do know that if you are going to foster an infant they have to "approve" the crib. Good luck!