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I am now an unrestricted licensed foster parent but when I started I too was doing kinship care and I did receive the same stipend that traditional FPs get. I had to do the home study and screening (fingerprints, etc.) but I didn't have to go through the training until I wanted to become unrestricted.
I'm in CA and doing kinship care. We do get the monthly FP stipened amount, as well as day care paid for and Medical. We had to do back ground, home study and finder printing, but not the classes and such.Good luck with your case...one thing I wished someone had told me in the beginning is make it very clear what you want because I do think kinship providers are expected to do more than the average FP. Also, don't do visits in your home. I of course said 'no no I am civil with my sister and her sig. other it will be fine', 9 months later it's ALLL changed just like everyone said it would and I can't stand them in my home, but we are civil and it works best for the kids right now. In other words be strong in what you want from the beginning and take others advice that have done this they are often right with their advice.
In Florida, "relative caregivers" receive a monthly stipend, but it is lower than the stipend received by a licensed foster parent. They can apply for the same daycare subsidy as an FP would receive. The child receives Medicaid.
Non-relative caregivers (that are also non-FPs) such as friends, neighbors, or fictive kin, receive no monthly stipend. The child still receives Medicaid.
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I started as a fictive kinship placement. I got an emergency clothing voucher when they were placed, a "startup stipend" of about 3/4 one month's reimbursement amount about 6 weeks later when we started classes, and another stipend when we finished classes. They immediately qualified for Medicaid, and I could have had free childcare for the 10 year old but didn't need it.
SIX months later, I was certified; I was told it would take about 3 and we only got it done in 6 months because I started complaining a lot. Now I get the same stipend as any other parent in my state.
The kids came with nothing, and at 10 and 13, needed school uniforms, street clothes, things to do, money for activities, and the whole 9 yards. I wouldn't have made it without the support from my church - clothes, nonperishable groceries, Christmas gifts, etc.
Can you get licensed? How long have they said it will take?
LemonPie
In Florida, "relative caregivers" receive a monthly stipend, but it is lower than the stipend received by a licensed foster parent. They can apply for the same daycare subsidy as an FP would receive. The child receives Medicaid.Non-relative caregivers (that are also non-FPs) such as friends, neighbors, or fictive kin, receive no monthly stipend. The child still receives Medicaid.
MomInCorazon
So people who step up to take care of children they know but are not biologically related to get nothing? How is that fair? You take on the same situation, incur the same costs... :grr: I'm so glad my state doesn't discriminate between family and fictive kin (I would have qualified as the latter).
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LemonPie
I believe there is an exception for step-parents (and their biological families), but crazy, isn't it? I wasn't around when the statute was written (and haven't researched it), but my wild guess would be it has something to do with "baby bartering/buying/stealing"...
Or it may be something completely different, I don't know.
However, there are also limits on what qualifies for the "blood relative" stipend -- the relative cannot be more than a "fifth-degree" relative (an example of "fifth degree" is "second cousin"). So even blood-related family members who grew up together and consider themselves to be "like brothers" might not qualify (I've seen it happen).
I'm always amazed by the family friends who step up -- in spite of significant financial hardship.
irq11
... do you get reimbursed for anything?
I'm not licensed so I don't get reimbursed for anything. Just wondering if that was standard everywhere or not (I'm in Iowa).
A good friend of mine found herself in a situation a few years back where she had both daughters in prison. (drugs and bad choices in men) One daughter was gone for four years and grandma had her two kids the whole time. The other daughter was only away for a year, She had already given her oldest to his father's family. Grandma had her second child and she was pregnant when she went to prison. The prison had a program where she could keep the baby with her for ninty days (she had to take parenting classes and stuff) But on day 90 grandma had her. On day 91 I started babysitting her so grandma could work. Grandma got no money at all. She did get medicaid for all four kids. I watched the baby for free to help out and also the 10 year old that I just picked up when I picked my own kids up from school. A local church preschool/daycare gave her scholarships for the other two kids. It was a tough year for her when she was trying to feed all the kids deal with a husband with cancer and deal with all the appointments.
Working with a church in a low-income neighborhood, I see a lot of families taking care of their kin \ fictive kin's kids without foster reimbursements. It upsets me. Sometimes, the family gave the kid to the adult before CPS got involved, but sometimes, the state was involved in making placement but didn't explain the fostering options. Either way, I wish there was a way they could get the subsidy, the medical insurance, and the other support. So often, the kids have been through the same things that lend kids in foster care, but they don't get the same understanding and level of care.
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Thanks for the responses ... interesting how different each place is. my nephew has been with us 19 months and if I'd known it would be so long we would've gotten licensed. But my sister has a history of being able to skate out of everything, so I hadn't really expected to have him for more than 3-6 months.
It takes awhile to get licensed here -- you have to do a pre-screening orientation with fingerprints before you are allowed to take the certification class. And the class is not offered very often. Earlier this year we did finally start the process to get approved as an adoptive home, and we're still waiting for word that we've passed the background check (which we will). We were told that if we were lucky we'd get in the class that started in May. The class is 10 weeks and there's other stuff that has to be done too, like the full home study, though I am not sure if it can be done concurrently with the class or not -- I know they said you have something like 120 days after the class to get everything done. I've also heard that the classes fill up fast and since we signed up only to be an adoptive home I wonder if we may get bumped for a family who wants to foster.
I started fostering as a special certification (fictive kinship). We got he full stipend right from the beginning. We did have to finish the classes within 3 months. Relatives seem to have longer to take the classes.
All foster parents (general, relative, and special certifications) currently get the same stipend. However the legislature is going to cut funding to relatives unless the child is title iv-e eligible.
It think that this is wrong. Relatives need the financial support.