Traveling with foster children

When you are placed with foster children, is it legal to travel with them? If you are going to cross state lines, do you have to get approval first? Would they ever be allowed out of the country? I have heard of foster parents taking the kids on vacations to give them happy memories, but I'm not sure how all that traveling could work out.

Approval was required for us to go across state lines. It was a formality, really. We had to make sure they had contact info, etc. Plus they did coordinate with the parents, to ensure they were aware. We weren't permitted to take the kids out of the country -- we wouldn't have had the standing to get a Passport and the logistics of taking an unrelated child on an International flight.

I have traveled with foster children many, many times. You do need to get approval from the State, as they have custody of the child. We were always given a letter for travel that included contact info for the caseworker and medical insurance information in case something happened while we were away.As for foreign travel, I think that would depend. While Brandy is correct, foster parents don't have the standing to get a passport for the child, CPS does. I know here they will do it for limited travel. I've seen foster parents take kids to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean because those places either don't require a passport, or can be accessed with one of those mini passports.

I agree with previous posters. Here in Texas, you need to get approval from the Judge to cross state lines, you also need CPS approval to travel to another county in Texas, like if you want to take you foster child camping or something.It's not a big deal, you email your caseworker and the GAL and give them an itinerary and addresses and phones numbers of where you'll be staying. I've also heard foster children can go on cruises departing from and returning to he United States, but I'd imagine that's a much bigger effort on the part of everyone. Good luck!