The following questions can help you decide whether foster parenting is the right fit for you and your family:
- Do you (and your significant other if applicable) have a happy stable life?
- Can you care for a child who has come from a different cultural background than yours?
- Do you like children and enjoy having them around twenty four hours a day?
- Are you mature and secure enough to realize that some children may have difficulty adjusting to your way of life?
- Are you willing and able to make adjustments in your life and your home to meet the specific needs of a child placed with you?
- Do have enough space in your home for the child to have a bed of his/her own (not in a common living space)?
- Are the members of your family in good health?
- Does your income meet the basic needs of your own family?
- Could you accept the fact that a child placed in your home eventually may return to his or her own home or be placed elsewhere?
- Can you maintain a positive attitude toward a child’s parents, even though you may feel many of the problems the child experiences are a direct result of the parent’s actions?
- Are you willing and able to take a child to counseling sessions, doctor’s appointments, court hearings and other regular appointments?
- Would you welcome the advice and assistance of a social worker in a team effort to meet the needs of each child?
Also check out this tip sheet from the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center: Is Fostering a Good Fit For Us? Things To Consider
