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Tomorrow morning I will try to get in touch with a social worker to begin the process of becoming a foster parent. My sister's nieces have been in and out of foster care for their entire lives. They are 5 & 6. Their mom lost custody of her 2 sons before the girls were born. The girls have currently been out of the home for a year and have been in at least 5 foster homes during this time. We were in a 1 bedroom apartment when the girls were removed, so we couldn't do anything. My nephew then moved in with us for a while. Now that he is no longer in our home, we want to pursue the girls. We have a 21 month old daughter and an extra bedroom. I am a sahm and DH works construction. My sister asked the social worker to split the girls last year because we were willing to take 1 (and my sister the other) when we bought our home in November, but the worker said no. We are quite upset that they chose to move them so many times rather than give them to people they know who live 10 minutes apart and see each other at least once per week. How long does it normally take to go through the licensing process and get a placement?
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5 different homes what? This doesn't make sense at all.:confused: They could of been separated but stable in 1 home. The one thing you will learn is you have to fight and fight hard. If you are kin you could fight now to have them placed with you. Family can be placed with you while you go through the foster process!!!! The CW will just need to do a quick background check and make sure you're home will pass inspection. Never take no for an answer. Good luck and I hope those girls get the stability they need.
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So just a few questions...are you being licensed b'c you want the girls or you are just looking to regular foster? What county are you in? and your sister does not want to take the girls? what is the reason they were moved 5 times in one year? that seems insane...So as far as being seen as "kin", they would most likely still do it. So they are technically your brother-in-law's neices? since there is no blood relation, you could qualify as fictive kin, meaning no blood relation, but close as family. Like previous poster said, you could get them in your care as you're going through the process if that is what you want to do. But you will have to push hard to get them and be sure you really want to keep them, as they could be hesitant if they are currently in a stable home. But if you are looking to just be licensed not necessarily for them, it really all depends on the workers, how backed up they are, when you're available for classes, etc. It could take as little as 3 months, but more likely 4-5months...
We only want to be licensed for them right now. We would adopt them if tpr happened. In the future we would want more children, but the future is 10+ years away for that. I am in Gloucester Co and they are in Camden Co. They are my bro-in-law's nieces. Nobody is blood kin to them, though, since their mom was adopted. The mom doesn't even know who the younger one's dad is. We have no idea why they are moved so often. I do know the younger one was very hyperactive and out of control (running on top of cars at 3 years old), but I fully believe that a change to a stable environment will help that immensely. They saw some nasty things and had no supervision when with their mother. The case worker will not tell me sister anything because she will not take them. The case worker will not even let my sister and bro in law see them. My sister cannot handle the out of control behaviors of the younger girl. She told the worker that she was willing to take the older girl and I would take the younger girl right after we bought our home, but the case worker said no.
As far as I know you qualify as a kinship placement and the willingness to adopt if TPR happens is a plus also. But if they are doing well in the current foster home it is going to be a long fight! The CW seems like she is going to try to prevent you from getting the girls. You might want to get in touch with a supervisor and explain your situation. But that's just what I would do. Good Luck
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I don't think she has anything against me. I do think she is upset that my sis and bro in law won't take the girls. They actually took in the older girl once they found out that she was born and in foster care. She was 6ish months old at the time. They kept her for close to a year then let her mom and the younger girl move in for a while....basically until they got way too sick of her crap and lies again and kicked her out. Then they took the girls for 2 weeks last summer while their mom was in jail for shoplifting. Their mom was given the chance to call someone and called her bf's sister (who the girls didn't know) to come get them. When my sis found out where they were, they went and got the girls. DYFS wasn't involved. Not long later the girls were taken and the worker called my sis and bro in law first. They refused to take both. My sister has OCD and cannot handle it.
well after reading your info, here's my two cents :) we are in camden county, but there are four local offices in camden county..do you mind me asking where they were originally located and if you know which office they are out of ? Honestly that makes a big difference as we have taken placements out of all 4 and they have been handled very differently :) but I echo what the others said...get in touch with the caseworker, and his/her supervisor. Tell them you are very interested and would like to meet to discuss you taking them on a permanent basis. being in separate counties can delay things a bit, but not drastically. basically i think they would want you to be licensed and then see how it goes. You do have time against you as the girls have been through alot...but obviously kids are worth it! Keep us posted!
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