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We are up for our 1 yr reinspection.
In the 1 yr since we have been lisenced we have not gotten 1 call. Not a one. Not even for an overnight.
Although we are licensed for only 1 (because we have 5 kids at home) our resource worker has been here, we have a very large house with 4 empty beds and an empty room. She said we could easily get a waiver but she gives sibling groups of 2 or more to those homes already ready with no waiver needed.
We are open to up to 4 kids, to the age of 11-12, any race, any gender and many special needs.
I have so many friends who are foster or foster/adopt in this county (Monmouth) and have gotten kids this year, but she claims there was not 1 single baby or child.
Guess there are fewer kids going into foster care or there are so many foster homes, they just don't need us!
Tell me about it. I spent two weeks leaving multiple unanswered voicemails for the foster recruiter in our area. I finally received an answer in the form of a form letter sent to my house inviting me to one of two open houses. The second one was starting 2 hours after I received the letter. Had she bothered to send a letter a month before when she received my information or responded to one of my phone messages I would have gone.
We moved to a private agency.
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If you don't know the name of the recruiter who calls for placements, see if you can find out. Call that person and introduce yourself and let them know you are open and available to a wide range of children. Sometimes they just go down their regular list of people they are familiar with. Offer to do respite or SPRU so you get on their radar and they will remember you when a long-term or permanent placement comes in.
I hope you get a call soon.
Edited: You might also want to contact offices in your county or other counties that may have more need for fostering homes. I don't think most offices share their resource homes so contacting them is something you will have to do on your own.
RedLadi
Edited: You might also want to contact offices in your county or other counties that may have more need for fostering homes. I don't think most offices share their resource homes so contacting them is something you will have to do on your own.
When I first started fostering receiving placements outside of your county was common. Not anymore. And, you can't simply call another county. The county placement worker has to call your county to get approval to use your home.
As for fewer placements, I sincerely think it's like everything else in NJ - cutting costs. It's cheaper to let the kids stay with their families. Hence, that's the focus (which is the right thing to do if it's safe, secure, non-neglecting, etc).
JOWO - Just one woman's opinion!:rolleyes:
SO we had ourt reinspect and the man that came here from Trenton was shocked to hear we have not had any placements. Even though technically we are licensed for one (due to # of children) we have 4 open beds and an empty bedroom, so we can EASILY fit 5 foster kids. He just kept saying he doesn't get it, I asked him to EM our resource worker and ask her LOL.
Everyone keeps telling us we can easily get a space waiver, but yet nothing. We are open to 3 (but up to 5 if the kids are young), till age 10 (ish), any gender, any race and tons of special needs.
Hopefully he will push things along because he looked really perplexed...
Good news is the reinspect is over and we are relicensed, no violations.