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I am very close to gettting my license to foster. I am EXTREMELY nervous and excited at the same time....:eek: I thought it would be fun to hear about everyone's first foster placement...or, if you are still in the licensing process, what are your feelings on getting licensed and waiting for that first placement?:woohoo:
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I was licensed in the middle of Nov. 2006, mY first placement call came at 4:00pm on dec. 4th and I was told that they had two boys that were two and two months. I said yes (even though I "wanted" to foster girls age 6-10) I asked their size and the (male) caseworker told me that they were big boys! SO I borrowed a few diapers (I worked in a daycare) They were dropped off to me at work at 5:30pm and I had to borrow carseats from the agency!! While I was talking to the caseworker and looking at the teeniest two month old I had ever seen, the two, acctually three year old was hitting my friend with toys and ripping the wallpaper off the walls! THe worker wished me luck and told me that mom and dad had just got the older one back a few months ago and were just arrested for drug manufacturing so to think long term, oh, and also that the baby was only breast fed!!! (By a meth addicted mother:eek: ) It was a very very long night thankfully it was a friday! They stayed with me for only twenty two days but when you are told to plan for the long term you give your heart out fast! It was a love filled month though with one snowstorm that kept us in bed for two whole days! THey left to live and are now in gaurdianship with a bio aunt. I haven't seen them since but she did send me an update.
My first placement came the same day I was licensed. A nine year old girl and her 21 month old nephew. They came in dirty clothes that were WAY too big and their faces just looked "empty" I remember feeling so sad for them. After two months we were considered the adoptive resource and TPR was in the works, we could not imagine our lives without them. Five months after that they left to live with an aunt and uncle/great aunt and uncle they had never met. We were promised lots of ongoing contact and visits, but it was not to be. I think of them often and I'm sad that I'm not still in their lives in some way. But, God had other plans for us and we love our two little ones and know they are the children we were meant to have.
chevyjewel
Licensed in April of '06, first placement came in July of "06. Twin girls...preemies...drug exposed. A worker brought them to my home at the age of three weeks old, they were 4 and 5 pounds at that point respectively. They had to eat every two hours, so I'd feed one, it would take her about 45 minutes to eat an ounce or two, change her, feed myself and/or my own two toddlers and then start feeding the other one. Repeat repeat repeat. I lived in my jammies and didn't sleep the first two months or so lol. Loved every draining moment. Placement was concurrent but ended just before they were here 6 months. An estranged aunt came out of nowhere and within two weeks time of my agency finding her she drove up here from another state, stayed two days and then took them. She called me about a month after they left after hearing no updates up until that point ***asking for money*** I mentioned we had stockpiled in the event of legal costs that could be incurred had we been given the opportunity to adopt them. She wanted it and told me pretty much that she was now entitled to it because I had saved it via their DOC compensation while they were in my care. I'm sure anyone that's ever loved and lost a placement, especially one they would have adopted had they been given the chance can sympathize with what that did to my heart and the hope that they were ripped from my arms for the right reasons.... I heard several months later mom's rights were terminated and the aunt was still planning on adopting them...no further info since then. That one hurt a doozie and still does some days. There isn't a day that passes that I don't think about them and pray that they're happy and healthy. I've still got a picture of each up on a wall in my home that holds all of my families pictures. I've found peace with it all over time because I've been able to help so many other children since they left. If they'd of stayed I'd of never been able to love and help the rest.
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my first placement was about a week or two after getting approved and they called that afternnon around 2 wanting to know if we would take a 3 month old girl. I said yes and she said they would call me as soon as they had more info. I never heard back from anyone until someone pulled up after 7 pm dropping off a 3.5 month old BOY, it never was a girl it was a caseworker who was mis informed. Almost 2 years later we are about to adopt him. he is our lil monster. And im serious he is a monster!!! but we love him. our 2nd placement was a 2 day old preemie born addicted to meth. stopped breathing a few times, hospitalized for a week, apnea monitor for 5 months, surgery and at 10 months old keeps losing weight and is weighing in at 13 lbs. has problem after problem but is the cutest thing in the world just high maintence like you wouldn't believe. If im not holding him hes not happy. you will forever remember everything about your first placement. especially the bad things, such as how dirty they were, how the diaper was so small it was cutting into his legs, and you will always remember the smell of the diaper bag and all of its contents and the fact that the smell wouldn't wash away. you will remember your trip to the store to pick up everything you needed but didn't have on hand hoping you dont run into his family while you are in there.
I was licensed on April 10, 2000 but had not received my license in the mail yet so I wasn't aware that I was licensed yet. They called for a 5 yr old girl and her 6 year old brother. I told them that I wasn't licensed yet and they said yes you are, the license is in the mail today. I accepted and they were here for about 6 months. The kids were disappointed because they were told that I was a foster parent who is someone who takes care of kids and that I live on a farm so when they came they were expecting a whole bunch of kids to be already living here along with it being Old McDonalds farm. I had just recently moved there so didn't have anything but cats at that point. It was a case which the mom voluntarily put them into care because she couldn't handle them so they weren't in because of abuse or neglect at least.
myForeverkids3
Feeding a preemie is exhasting. Mine would sputter, choke, turn pale and scare me half to death.
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Our first placement was a few months after we were licensed. It was about 10pm at night and it was a 2 year old boy. The parents were from out of town and had been arrested with drugs. He came in just an undershirt and a diaper, we didn't even find out his actual name with the correct spelling for a few days after we got him. He stayed for a few weeks with us, just until the parents bailed out of jail finally. He was a cutie though.
My first placement is my forever daughter. I will try to do this without crying. It still gets me emotional. I was licensed in November '07. I started getting calls about a week later for children. I kept saying "YES" but every time my agency called back, the child or children had been placed with another family. During most of '07, my best friend's Dad was very ill. We spent a lot of time that year at the hospital with him. I know he heard us talk many times about my foster training and the calls I was receiving about children. Unfortunately, the day after Christmas he passed away. A few weeks later I got a call about a little baby in the hospital. Once again, I said "YES" expecting the agency to call back and tell me this little girl was placed with another family. Instead they called me back and wanted to know when I could get to the hospital. When I met my daughter, I found out she was born Christmas night. I know in my heart that when my best friend's Father passed away, he went straight to God and asked Him to send me this little "Angel".
I got a call for a newborn little girl. They had no real info on her. The next day I picked up a beautiful 3 day old baby girl. While at the hospital the nurse took me to a room (these are her words) so I could bond with my child. When she brought her into the room where I was waiting she said mommy say hello to your little girl. It shocked me.... We are now getting ready to finalize her adoption. She is now 2.:cheer: That day was truely the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE
We were licensed mid January 2009 and had a bunch of calls that were just completely out of our league, so I turned them down and was starting to settle in for the long haul. I was at a daylong meeting and started getting sick and dizzy, so I left, walked back to my office and quickly checked my email before leaving. There was a message from one of the great NJ forum members, telling me she'd had a call about a 2 year old boy, couldn't take him, but thought that I might be interested. She sent me the number to call. I called and surprised the placement coordinator - she didn't know how I found out, and didn't care - she wanted to place the kid! Only once I said yes did I find out that FS was across the street from my office. I ran across the street and met him. He was so serene. My husband walked down to meet us. We had to borrow a car seat from DYFS. It was honestly easier than checking a book out of the library. They didn't have any of the placement papers ready, so they had me write my name and # on a piece of paper, so they could keep track of where the child was going. I literally left with a kid & no documents. A few days later they called to correct some basics: last name, race. I wound up holding the car seat hostage until they provided medicaid & placement documents. :arrow: He's been with us 6 months, and we just adore him. He has come so very far, thanks to Early Intervention and his very inquisitive temperament. Mom's not doing so well with her plan, so he may stay for a long, long time. We'll see.
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I am LOVING hearing all of these first time stories! We got our first call about 2 weeks after our paperwork was in starting on christmas eve through new years eve. THey asked us to do respite for two boys 3yrs and 18 months. We agreed but they wound up placing them somewhere else because of a caseworker misunderstanding my holiday plans. A week later we got a call saying that the previous foster parents were not going to pick the boys up from respite and they would only be in care another month, would we take them. We again said yes and they came to us on New years eve. THey didn't go home a month later and in March, the case took a turn for the worse and the boys are still here. In May we got their 2 month old brother. All three boys are still here but the parents seem to be back on track and we have been told they will likely be going home within 6 months or so. But we have heard that before! Only time will tell. I just pray to god every day that where ever they end up they are happy, healthy, and safe.
Our first placement was 2 brothers ages 2 & 8 and we fell in love.the parents got violent we asked to remove the children.Do I regret that? Yes.they are back with parents now, after here 6 months and the next home 6 months. We've had 12 more since then and none have came close to how we felt with the first 2.I truly felt they were meant to be here, forever.