Becoming A Foster Parent

There are many children in the world who require the guidance, care and affection of a foster family. Becoming a foster parent to a child and providing him with a safe and comfortable home is not an easy task. It is not a mere gesture of temporarily opening your home to a needy child, rather it is about opening your heart and mind to the entire act of child nurturing and care. Remember, children in need of foster parents have been tragic sufferers of parental negligence, abuse, abandonment or other such issues that have threatened their safety and happiness in their real homes. Thus, they are in need of a temporary place of refuge, till the time they can go back to their own families.

 

Often, these children are filled with fear, remorse, anger and helplessness. Many of them are also physically, mentally and behaviorally challenged. More often than not, they are not accustomed to leading a normal and healthy lifestyle and at times, display abnormal behavioral streaks in the form of bed wetting, jealousy, defiance, lying and violence. So, becoming foster parents demands a lot of understanding, support, patience and will power. Once you are willing to prove your parenting skills and provide such a child with a secured home, you can move on to the next step and act as a foster parent.

 

Generally, the various requirements to become a foster parent to a child vary from state to state. However, we have given a general idea regarding the basic qualifications that are required for the same. You should, however, check with your local foster agency for more details, to make sure that you fulfill the required criteria prevalent in your area.