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I wish becoming a foster-parent (and adoption through foster care) was not so hard for us normal people. My house is old, I have ONE tear carpet in the kitchen, and stains on my carpet in the dining room. I have ONE missing ceiling panel (In the corner of the room, which is impossible to get to because of our furniture arrangement) and they told me my home would have to be completely renovated in order to foster. :mad:
We also have nitrates in the water, which is bad for babies up to 6 months, and pregnant women. However, we did not intend on having babies :paci: or pregnant teens (or girl teens at all!), we planned on having older children 3-9. And at the time we got denied we were actually planning to have TEEN BOYS! :cool:
But they told us we could not have a license due to the nitrates, even if we fixed up the house. Well since we live in the middle of a corn field, it is impossible to get rid of the nitrates, no matter how far down we dig a new well. We also agreed to use ONLY bottled water for drinking, and still a no. :Confused:
That is like saying: "Well you don't have baby gates, and outlet covers. So you can't have teenage boys." What?? :Confused:
We also don't make a whole lot of money, but we OWN our home and both of our cars, so we also don't have large payments going out every month. If we are careful the only bills we have each month are wood to heat the home (9 months out of the year, no need in the summer), car and home insurance, electricity and food. We don't even have TV. Plus we do not get government assistance in any way, or child support for my step son who lives with us. We are pretty much self sufficient.
It just really upsets me that they BEG and BEG for foster parents, then they make it impossible for normal every day people to become one. Like you have to be rich, have a new home, and you have to be approved to take all types of foster children. Even if you don't want to take babies, you still have to be set up for them? I don't think it is right.
(I live in West Michigan in case it matters)
I just always wanted to be a foster parent, since my mom is a foster parent and I have two adopted siblings... It has always been my dream to foster and adopt and now I can't unless I uproot my family and incur more debt to get a different NEWER house... it is so soul crushing, I can't afford it... :Hissy:
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Could a water filter possibly remove the nitrates from your water?
That seems very odd to me. We need to have a water source that meets guidelines, but that can be with a filter or even bottled water. The things that you cite - stains on carpet, etc - would never keep someone here from getting licensed, either. Are you going through the state or with an agency? Sometimes there are differences, and I've heard that agencies can be more stringent (I don't know this from experience, since we don't have agencies doing foster or foster-adopt). Also, if they didn't give specifics (needing to renovate the whole house is not specific), ask them to give you a list of the things that need to be done in order for your house to pass licensing.
ruth74
That seems very odd to me. We need to have a water source that meets guidelines, but that can be with a filter or even bottled water.
ruth74
Are you going through the state or with an agency?
ruth74
Also, if they didn't give specifics (needing to renovate the whole house is not specific), ask them to give you a list of the things that need to be done in order for your house to pass licensing.
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Trust me, go through the COUNTY! I would wait unit Jan 6, then show up at the office between 9:30-12, or 1:30-4:30pm. Lots of people are on vacation, and 12-1ish is lunch time. After that Tuesday's everyone should be back and ready to help. There is a need, the county should be able to give you specifics. Keep trying, but with the county. You can also mention the water ahead of time and see what they say. Don't give up. An old house is not reason to deny you.
It is hard owning an old house. We will need to do a lot of repairs and replace some windows in the house we are buying to meet state standards.
My guess with the carpet is that you can get a shampoo company to come clean it and throw a rug over the tear. The ceiling concern may be that it contains asbestos, because many old ceiling tiles did, and once that is disturbed it needs to be removed. I would clarify that with the agency, and see if you can just have it tested to show it is safe. The nitrates are a much bigger deal given they are suspected of causing leukemia and other cancers, so it is not just the drinking water but all water coming into the house and on the yard. The chemicals in the corn field are hazardous to people, and they are just looking out for the health of the kids. I have a son who is a cancer survivor, it is not fun. We moved from our house due to concerns of the location. Surely there is a way to clean that up that would satisfy the state. Good luck. Sometimes it is hard to comply with all of the tiny details.
You mentioned the outlet covers, it might be cheaper and easier to replace the outlets with tamper resistant outlets to avoid losing the covers or not having them when someone surprises you with an inspection. You can get them in big packs for less than a dollar an outlet at electric dealers.
Michigan law say full ceiling, so you would have to get a tile or covering. I live in a 130+ year old house in you general vicinity. I May or may not have some white cardboard covering a hard to reach and unnoticeable spot.
I went with a local agency and love it!
The well may get you though, my parents were going to foster, but needed to replace their well due to size and it was too expensive. When they sold the house to a company, it put in a new, larger well and then sold it to a foster family!
Pm me if you need any more local advice.
Look up the foster home licensing requirements and go through them step by step. If you think you meet all of the requirements, have the person that assessed your home come back out again and give you specific reasons and requirement references that show you are not in compliance. It's worth a shot.
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SkiFamily 1
Trust me, go through the COUNTY! I would wait unit Jan 6, then show up at the office between 9:30-12, or 1:30-4:30pm. Lots of people are on vacation, and 12-1ish is lunch time. After that Tuesday's everyone should be back and ready to help. There is a need, the county should be able to give you specifics. Keep trying, but with the county. You can also mention the water ahead of time and see what they say. Don't give up. An old house is not reason to deny you.
JLW77
Michigan law say full ceiling, so you would have to get a tile or covering. I live in a 130+ year old house in you general vicinity. I May or may not have some white cardboard covering a hard to reach and unnoticeable spot.
I went with a local agency and love it!
The well may get you though, my parents were going to foster, but needed to replace their well due to size and it was too expensive. When they sold the house to a company, it put in a new, larger well and then sold it to a foster family!
Pm me if you need any more local advice.
I would bleach out your well and retry. Nitrates are a byproduct of bacteria and shocking the system may get it to pass. Run the water for quite a while when you get the sample and get it as close to the well as possible. Bleach the pump or faucet, too.
Good luck.
Also try again with a different agency or the county. You may have gotten a LW who is scared/unfamiliar with country living.
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