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It is official, I gone 1 month with out a placement or a call to my private agency.It seems strange that before my license came through I had 2 calls and now nothing.I guess the best way to think about it is to think that all children are safe,however I cannot look at a employment section without them trying to find foster parents.
I was hoping my agency would keep me busy,but someone told me that Pa counties place children with their own foster parents first and if there are none available they outsource out to other agencies.How true is this?
My agency deals mainly with Dauphin,York and Cumberland counties and you would think that with all of these counties my phone would be ringing off the hook but in a months time nothing....any advise on how to pass the time?????:thanks:
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No, I am open to children between the ages of 0 thru 12years.My first placement call was a 17 year old which I did not think would work,but 2 days later excepted a call for 2 girls who were with me until March 24th.
Seems its just slow or maybe the children are just out of my range.I don't know but it is getting frustrating.:arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
No, I am open to children between the ages of 0 thru 12years.My first placement call was a 17 year old which I did not think would work,but 2 days later excepted a call for 2 girls who were with me until March 24th.
Seems its just slow or maybe the children are just out of my range.I don't know but it is getting frustrating.:arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
Here's how it's been explained to me: 1. A county worker takes into custody a child(ren).2. The county calls the list of families available that are certified through the county and/or review the homestudies/profiles of those families.3. If none are available to take the kids, or they aren't a good fit, or they decline the children, then the county calls ALL the private agencies they work with - giving each intake coordinator at the agencies the general info of the kids.4. Then all the intake coordinators call their list of families to see if anyone is interested. So if you say yes, the agency calls the county back and says yes, plus provides your homestudy. The county then reviews the homestudies and selects (depending on the age of the children, they may even be given options/input). However, if when the county calls an agency and the intake coordinator offers a family on the spot, then the county doesn't keep calling and makes a decision right there on the phone. So the more "types" of children you take the more likely you'll be one of the first families your agency calls and when I was waiting for a placement, it seemed most coming into care in the recent months were teens. We were looking for 0-12 too, because we didn't have anyone home in the afternoon (my DH and I work full time) and after school care only takes up to age 12. But there were like 6 different kids that we could have had, had we taken teens (girls or boys).
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My agency is known for not getting toddlers and infants. I sat in a class where 4 out of 6 couples were waiting for a younger child. I had/have 4 and was waiting to make a decision on taking the fifth (a sibling to the others). Everyone in the class was complaining because they had been waiting for months for calls. They were told that because of the economy kids are going home or being adopted faster!
I am surprized that my agency never told me any of the things that I have learned here.It seems that I have learned more here than they have told me.
For weeks I have been waiting for a call any call and never got one.I called my agency and they say they haven't gotten any calls.I guess this is why.Then I was under the assumption that there was a wide range of children who come into foster care,but I seems like mostly older ones.WOW !!!!!!
I have been enlightened.:thanks: