Are you allowed to post pics of FKs on FB?

Here in Massachusetts, it is a definite NO. Not cropped, not private only for family and friends, etc. Mine was a kinship placement with kids I had helped raise from birth and once they were in state custody and I was their FP I had to stop posting anything involving them.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I figured it quite likely was prohibited but thought it was worth checking. I'll ask her CW next time I talk to him to be sure just didn't want to bother him on a weekend with something unimportant. They never brought it up in PRIDE training and I didn't see it in the WAC but that thing is not very well organized and I often find it hard to locate the specific thing I'm looking for.

even if you have bios consent dont do it, a fp here got in BIG trouble for posting pics to the FB of the bios with their consent. I am more of a 'beg for forgiveness' than ask for permission sort of gal LOL so I would look to see if your agency has a policy and read up but I would never ask my CW directly because then they are forced to tell you the strictest stipulations. What I do is send them in an email via facebook to our family members, only the 10ish or whatever people you add to that can see the pics then. Also, our rules are that pic cant give away identity but if it doesnt show face then it's legal. I have a pic of our BD giving FS pacey, he's wrapped like a little burrito and you cant see his face, I posted it for a day or so then took it down even though its "legal". The DHS rep I spoke to recently said I'm not even supposed to be TAKING tons of pics of FC, whatever, I'm through private agency and I'm ignoring that, I provide the pics to the bios and they are always thrilled with them.

We are not allowed to have their named associated with their faces so even at day care when they did a video the child could participate but their name couldn't appear alongside their image. We were told no fb in pride but cw said as long as names aren't there its fine.

Here we are strongly encouraged to take LOTS of pictures to preserve memories for FKs down the road. I did with my previous placements but I don't now because I am a hotline home and what child, of any age, would appreciate a stranger taking their picture when they were only staying the night...I record their presence through notes instead, i.e. so-and-so had a stuffed dog named Justin, ate Cheerios for breakfast, etc. Should these children ever wonder about their first night in foster care I will have some information to pass along if not a picture.

I did, but I had the dads permission and he is a facebook friend.

I asked specifically and was told no. Doesn't matter if the page is private. We're only waiting on paperwork to finalize, and my kids bios were TPR'd years ago, but still, it's a no. I'm saving up pics now to do a big slide show when we finalize, so I can post a link to it when they're legally mine.

The States Children's Services post Children's photos who are waiting to be adopted on their website with only the first name and Adoption.com does too. However, with them being foster children, I would think you'd be in trouble for that. I would ask the Social Worker, via email about it. That way if they say it's okay to do it, you have an email proving that they gave you permission to do so.

This is something that has been on my heart for years now. My daughter was in care for almost 5 years. When we adopted her, her foster family had a lifebook with about 3 pages and 2 of those were pamplets. Nobody took pictures during this time and they didn't buy school pictures. I certainly didn't have any baby pics or from her first three years. We did open the adoption and now have a few baby pictures. Photography is my passion and I miss having those 1st 8 years of her life in pictures.

Here, the answer is officially no pics on FB. However, we had a previous placement that went on to be adopted. The adoptive family and us (and the kids' CW) are all friends on FB. The adoptive family immediatley began putting pics on FB as soon as the kids moved in with them. Not only did the CW not get them in trouble, she would make comments about how cute the kids looked, etc. The kids were already TPR'd and the family was just waiting on their 6 month time line to finalize. So that is probably why no one said anything. However, we have a little one we will be finalizing on in the next few months, and I am not chancing it. I won't post pics until finalization. (Bio mom has posted pics that we have given them before TPR, but there's not much I can say about that.)

I had my now adopted daughter on my facebook page with photos of my son etc. My page was private for only close friends and family. One afternoon I get a call from my workers supervisor, she was fuming mad and confronted me about having photos of her on facebook. She also told me I had posted the childs name on there ( which I did not ) They asked me to come in immediately with the baby and that this is grounds for removal. I was hysterical, it was an honest mistake, not once was this ever addressed in class or by any of the social workers we had. They said someone had called to report this. I wrote a long letter, deactivated my account, and begged for forgiveness. It worked out and she is now adopted but to this day we donҒt know who rattedӔ us out. We are not a family filled with issued and problems, I didnt think we had any enemies but I was wrong. Please be very careful!

In my area once TPR is done, you can post pics of the kids if you're adopting (you can also pierce their ears and such). The day of TPR I came home and posted 200 pics of the baby. I specifically asked before TPR happened if that was OK.

My personal opinion? NO posting of kiddos on FB. not partial images, fingers, toes----nada. Maybe after the child is PC, but even then....follow very specifically the directives of your agency! I have seen news articles about foster children and it showed the face of the foster parent and the back of the baby, not the face.... The name in the article was "baby W", no doubt not the baby's real first initial....I'm sure the agency approved this , since it was in the paper. So -in addition to sharing my personal practice, I advise you to ask your agency.:D ya never know....

We were told not to but recently a CW who is now a friend of our family posted my foster baby on her FB page!! I figure if she can do it, I can too! I just call her Cupcake and people really don't know her name. I have a LOT of pics with all 4 of my kids, it's a pain to blur her out of all of them :(

Best practices is no. I have to say that though I'm mad she did it, I'm also glad that I actually have pictures of my children when they were littler because their foster mom broke this rule. ETA: I scrolled up and wanted to address something else. On my FB, I have a pic of my children, including my now adopted children (weren't adopted when pic was taken) and two fosters. For the fosters, I put a heart over their faces. On my blog, there are a few partial pics of my now adopted children (not adopted when pic was taken/posted) such as: [url=http://edufunmom.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/unplanned-visit/]Unplanned Visit Mama'ing Again[/url]