supplying lunch for visits with bio-parents?

Thats awful! However; after my FS retuned from a visit w/bio dad for 8 hours and had Pancakes, Ramen Noodles (he refused to eat and they didnt understand why) a push pop popsicle and some cheese crackers, I'll be packing him food in the future. Kid came home and ate like he hadn't all day! Regardless of if they should do it or not I'm not letting my FS go all day on junk. Absolutly aweful! Best of luck!

Since u have the stipend for the food, then you provide it. I'd ask if you can give a "stash" of food( that you buy) to the mom for the mom to use to pack the lunches over the next 5 visits. Your SW should help you to come to a compromise on this.

It is my opinion that the stipend is for stocking food in your home for the kiddos..and for other expenses, ie. gas, electric, laundry detergent, clothes, diapers, wipes, fuel for vehicles, OTC meds, kid shampoos, soaps, entertainment, toys, bottles, preschool, etc. etc. To me, there is nothing left from the stipend check to "help out" the BPs while they have their short stints with the kids. Lets remember that most of these BPs have food stamps and welfare money. I agree if the child is going to visits and coming back sick from junk food that it is a good idea to pack something healthy, but an entire meal...heck no.

I see a PP's point that we get a stipend for food, but in some areas, like mine, the stipend doesn't actually cover everything each month. Also, like OP said, how are parents going to support a child full time if they can't provide food for one visit? It shows more than just providing food. Do they actually do it? Take the time to make lunch? And do they make good choices? That all plays into how well they can care for the child. Here, we don't provide anything except formula that WIC is covering for visits. In the beginning of placements, I do provide everything but warn the parents that at the next visit they need to provide for the child. If you are being required by the department to provide lunch, I think pb&j and a piece of fruit is acceptable! Keep it cheap. And don't change it. If it is boring, maybe the bios will step up and start getting food themselves. Maybe. :)

i know that some of our Canadian fps have said that the stipend is for providing food for fc wherever/whenever. not so much here. when visits occur during a meal time, the parents are supposed to feed the kids during the visit. it doesn't always happen that way. my kids would leave school at 3:30, drive 1.5 hours to make a 5:00 visit. we were told not to feed afternoon snack because mom would be feeding dinner as soon as we arrived. visits generally lasted until 7:00. the thing is though that she was inconsistent with bringing the food. and sometimes my 4 and 6 year old kids would not have eaten anything at all when i picked them up. and then we'd rush to find something for them before they fell asleep on the drive home. the forgetfulness of providing food was a major issue for the cw. it was a major issue for me, too, but for a different reason. but no--not everyone is supposed to bring the food to the visit.

i'm glad to see i'm not the only one who thinks its strange that I am providing the food for the visit...i'm wondering if the bio-parents are eating the food i'm sending?!?! like i said before, in the end, i don't mind sending the food...at least i know they are eating something healthy, but i just don't understand why they arn't making the parents handle that.

We had a 2 hour drive each way for 2 hour visits so we got in the car after school at 3 and got home around 10. I generally got the kids a 'snack' for after school (a sandwich or a lunchable) and had another 'snack' ready for after the visit. Mom would occasionally remember to bring dinner for them and would be upset if they had been fed and didn't eat what she brought so thats what worked for us.

I had the same experience so I started always packing something. Then a few months into it when bio mom started putting on the good mom act she started bringing junk. A year in, when they separated out the bio mom and FD2's bio dad (long story) he never had money. We finally got cool enough that we'd just text and he'd let me know to pack or not. He at least took my concern and tried to bring healthier options. I have never heard of foster parents being required to provide food for visits.

When my FS was having evening visits I always packed dinner. I never really thought about it until reading this. I always packed everything diapers, wipes, juice, food even toys. I actually don't know if it was expected and everyones comments are making me wonder

I always packed my little one's meals! This way I knew she was getting healthy foods that were age appropriate. I was sure to pack table foods that were cut up and ready to go as I was quite sure bmom had no idea! I even started packing her portable highchair! FYI: Her stipend doesn't come close to covering her needs! It only covers 2 weeks of daycare and then EVERYTHING else is out of pocket!!!!!