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My husband and I are thinking about becoming foster parents. There are several agencies in our state (Nebraska). I tried joining a local foster parent group on FB, but you have to be signed up for the classes before they will allow you to join the group. The admin of the group suggested I contact the local agencies and ask them questions to determine which agency would be best for us. But I don't even know which questions to ask. How do you determine which agency is best for you? What questions should we be asking?
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Hello.I know this site can be non active at times so by now you might have already picked an agency, but here is my experience. Keep in mind everyone has a different situation of course so this may or may not all apply to yours. I created a binder and spreadsheet to compare agencies before making a decision. If I couldn't find the info I needed from their website, I e-mailed or called each one to find out how they go about the process (for example some do a "pre-approval application" and charge an initial fee - at least with foster to adopt they do - to apply before even being considered to do the home study and some include that as a part of the paperwork and flat cost for the home study - so no initial fees just to get started before final approval.) I also asked about length of time to do the homestudy - some are incredibly overworked and understaffed and therefore it takes forever - up to a year - and some can finish the whole process in just a few months. And finally, to save some time I asked my own "pre-approval" questions first such as "this is my current living and financial situation as well as my reason for foster/adoption ... would I be a strong candidate to get a home study approved and be able to foster/adopt? What is the basic minimum criteria?" You also want your agency to make you feel like they are investing in you as a potential foster parent and not just one more "task" added to their already busy schedule - busy ... yes they are always busy, but treated like a real individual human being is important as well. Anyway, good luck in your journey. Ask as many questions and do as much research as you need to feel confident about the process! Also, don't forget that just because you have an initial meeting or orientation with an agency doesn't mean you owe them a commitment until you sign paperwork, Also you can pause the process whenever you need (in my experience - realistically up until the end where the home study is wrapping up), if you feel like you are getting overwhelmed/rushed, need a moment, life changes, etc..
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