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Hi everyone,
I am very interested in foster adoption and will be attending a mandatory meeting in a few weeks to find out more about the process. I'm just wondering if foster parents or adoptive parents work. Is it possible to work full time and do this? I'm not interested in fostering, just adoption.
Thanks,
Lisa
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We are mostly through the process in our state. We were told that because we both work, she (our caseworker) would request daycare vouchers for any child we get placed with. The vouchers allow for up to a certain dollar amount per day of daycare charges, if the facility we choose's rate is higher than the voucher amount, we will have to cover the difference. I'm sure you are "allowed" to work, but the benefits available to you in your area will probably affect your capacity to work or not.
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springflower
Hi everyone,
I am very interested in foster adoption and will be attending a mandatory meeting in a few weeks to find out more about the process. I'm just wondering if foster parents or adoptive parents work. Is it possible to work full time and do this? I'm not interested in fostering, just adoption.
Thanks,
Lisa
You're exactly where I am. I haven't seen anything that precludes it, but I've also done a lot of research into schools that have aftercare programs. I'm actually avoiding children that are not school aged simply because of the challenges of finding open spots and then paying for them (day care here costs roughly the same as a year at a pretty good college.)
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Of course, but you probably need an understanding employer. Most of the working foster parents that I know have run through their vacation and sick time quickly dealing with appointments, visits, sick kids, court, etc. Taking FMLA is an option, assuming you are eligible. You also may be eligible for your company's maternity / paternity policy if time off is provided.
I've heard that there are places where you need one stay at home parent, and there are specific kids who need a stay at home parent, but you would just not be matched with those kids. I am single and work full time, I have one son I adopted and I foster. Adoption is easier, because you don't have as many meetings. if you qualify for FMLA, you don't even need a more than usually understanding employer, because they don't really have an option. You will need a plan for daycare or after school care if you adopta child who needs it.
Yes, you will be approved if you make enough to cover your bills, and the expenses of a future child.
If you are doing straight adoption you will likely get more difficult kids because infants are not available for adoption until you have fostered them until they are legally free ( which is usually a year or two).
Good Luck!
Like you, I'm still in the beginning stages(finally completed the paperwork and will submit it next week). I also worry about finding time for work while still supporting the needs of the child. All those visits and appointments sound like they take a lot of time :). Truthfully, my job's flexibility is one reason I feel ready to become a foster parent now rather than waiting. We have both a flexible work schedule and I'm currently enrolled in a work at home program. As others stated, I anticipate that with a more traditional work schedule, it would be more difficult to schedule everything while not using all your leave.
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Yes! I am a single mother who works full time and always has. I do have a job working with young children so my employer was a lot more responsive to the needs of a working parent. At the time my son was placed with me DCF still paid for day care. There have been a lot of cutbacks since then so it's not as easy to get that funding now.
Personally, I think balancing the needs of young children and being able to afford day care, after school care and other expenses are pretty standard challenges for every working parent whether biological or adoptive.