Advertisements
Advertisements
I've been reading that part of the process involves references from neighbors? Is that correct? Any insight into why? I moved to my neighborhood recently and I know a few of my neighbors by their first name. I wave to them over the fences, but that's it. I don't really know them and they don't really know me. I am not at all comfortable asking any of them to take any part in my becoming a foster parent.
I have lots of wonderful friends and family who would be happy to give me a reference. Do I have to have a neighbor reference? It's not required in the preliminary application, but I know there's a more in-depth process that comes later.
Like
Share
View All Previous Posts
greenish
I've been reading that part of the process involves references from neighbors? Is that correct? Any insight into why? I moved to my neighborhood recently and I know a few of my neighbors by their first name. I wave to them over the fences, but that's it. I don't really know them and they don't really know me. I am not at all comfortable asking any of them to take any part in my becoming a foster parent. Basically they feel since the neighbors live next to you they are more aware of domestic violence issues or police being there or noise or just the way you keep your home up. That is why they require neighbor references.
I have lots of wonderful friends and family who would be happy to give me a reference. Do I have to have a neighbor reference? It's not required in the preliminary application, but I know there's a more in-depth process that comes later.
We had to have 3 neighbor references for our home study. DCF gave us a forms to take to them to fill out and bring back. It asked how long they knew us, if we had pets, if we had kids, did we trust them with their kids, have they noticed any domestic violence, etc...It wasn't as detailed as the personal references but it more dealt with our housing situation, if they noticed anything like domestic violence, etc...basically did they know of any reason why we shouldn't foster. It also asked them have then been inside our home and what was it's condition. Basically because the neighbors live next to you they are there to see the issues that your home may have...such as police coming by alot or the upkeep of your home, etc...and since kids have to live there they think neighbors would know more about that.
Since we've lived here 11 yrs we knew alot of the neighbors. I can remember in MAPP class they said if we had just moved or didn't know the neighbors that great we could use previous neighbors we lived next to. But they had to be neighbors or previous neighbors, not personal references. We also had to have 5 personal references (and 1 could be a relative).
Like
Share
Advertisements
We needed three references, two friends and one family. We did not need neighbor references at all.
Like
Share
I was never asked to give any neighbor references and would have been reluctant to do so. I don't even tell my neighbors that I am a foster parent. I know some of them by name but would never use them as references.
I have one neighbor who went to prison for 6 months for assaulting a relative of his and he has also caused me some problems almost from the minute I moved into my house. He called me a "slob" and left a note in my mailbox telling me to pick up my leaves that fell from a large oak tree in my front yard (just because his friend next door to me was selling his house and didn't want that to be a deterrant to the sale.) But I guess it didn't matter that this bozo had 2 truck tires sitting on his front porch :( and that his carport looked like a junkyard...
I don't think that would be an accurate reference if it was a neighbor that you didn't know very well or had a problem with...
I'd ask for clarification of that requirement. I just needed family and friend references.
Like
Share
I had to have 2 neighbor references....I used my friend who lived in the apt complex across the street...
The other I used was a lady I know who lives like 1.5 miles from me and I got approved with no problem...
They told me that the neighbor could be anyone who lived within 4 miles of your home....
I live in Florida
Like
Share
I'm in NJ and I had to have one neighbor reference. They know that people (sadly) don't know their neighbors. Don't worry, it will be harmless.
Like
Share
Advertisements
We had to give a neighbor reference also- we just moved to the country,and all our neighbors are 1/4 mile away or more. We asked if it was ok to use neighbors from our old house and they agreed. I think it's silly for them to even ask for a neighbor reference these days!
we also had to have a teacher reference, but since our kids are all homeschooled,that was hard ,too. We ended up asking the piano teacher,who is also a family friend.
Like
Share
I have to admit, I'm put off by the whole neighbor reference thing. Why on earth should I get personal references from people who don't even know my last name and have never been in my house? Why should what they say have any bearing on whether or not I'm approved to foster a child? Ask them if I mow my lawn or shovel my walk and their answer would probably be accurate. Ask them if I can care for a child and they will have no idea.
I have had more conversations with the guy at the corner mini-mart where I buy milk and bread than I have with my neighbors. Should I ask him for a reference?!? (No, I wouldn't really ask the mini-mart guy.)
Like
Share
Hi,
I'm hoping GA doesn't require references from neighbors. When I start the process, it'll be shortly after a move and that means I won't know anyone. I'm not a forward man. I'm the guy who walks around at parties hoping to hear a conversation I can interject myself into...you know, they're already talking about something I know.
If I know the topic, I have no trouble running my mouth...otherwise I'll listen in quiet desperation. LOL.
David
PS, I love my privacy and rarely invite people to my home. Issues I need to work on, lol.
Like
Share
Advertisements
Dhewco
Hi,
I'm hoping GA doesn't require references from neighbors. When I start the process, it'll be shortly after a move and that means I won't know anyone. I'm not a forward man. I'm the guy who walks around at parties hoping to hear a conversation I can interject myself into...you know, they're already talking about something I know.
If I know the topic, I have no trouble running my mouth...otherwise I'll listen in quiet desperation. LOL.
David
PS, I love my privacy and rarely invite people to my home. Issues I need to work on, lol.
I know here in Florida they allowed previous neighbors references if you moved here recently. Maybe you know a neighbor in your previous area that could do a reference for you? I know here they require that 3 of your references HAVE to be neighbors or previous neighbors. I don't know what GA requires though.
Like
Share
I wouldn't worry that you are not well-acquainted with your neighbors. They are looking for patterns of behavior that might be worrisome, such as racing your car down the street, having loud alcohol-fueled parties, suspicious comings and goings, etc.
Like
Share
I have lived in this house for almost 11 years (with a break of a year and a half when I rented a room from a friend), and before that I lived in the 'country'. My nearest neighbor, still living, has since moved away without telling me where. The other neighbor died and his widow moved.
David
Like
Share
hkolln
...here they require that 3 of your references HAVE to be neighbors or previous neighbors.
Who are the people that think up these requirements? My friends have almost never been my neighbors. They're people I know from places I've worked or met due to common interests, or more likely, were friends of people I already knew. Of all the people I've known since I moved out of my parents house ages ago, I only have one friend that's also a neighbor. That's not to say I'm not friendly with some of my neighbors, but they're not people I hang out with. We might exchange a few pleasantries, or help each other clear snow or something, but we're not having each other over for steaks every Friday.
Like
Share
Advertisements
JGarrick
Who are the people that think up these requirements?
The agency we became licensed thru.
Like
Share