How to Be a Foster Parent: Exploring Different Options

Hi there! In today's video, I share with you all of the various ways you can make foster parenting work, even if you've got a full-time job or a busy schedule. We'll be exploring different avenues of foster care, like respite care, traditional foster care, emergency care, and providing permanency (like guardianship or adoption).

Throughout this video, you'll get to join me on some phone conversations as I connect with potential foster placements, prep for visits, and offer support to a child named Taylor during their stay. (Enjoy the roleplay!)

I want this video to inspire you to consider becoming a foster parent and show you just how adaptable these options can be. Don't forget to drop any questions you might have in the comments, and a huge thank you for hanging out with me today!

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#fostercare #fosterparenting #fosterparent

[soumaya]

1:52 it broke my heart to imagine a little kid curled up in a blanket at a stranger's place after a traumatic event 😣 thank you to all the foster parents and case workers doing their best to provide them safety and comfort

[Loki.grunch_random_videos]

Hi Laura I am not a foster parent but am verry interested in that process and your videos relay all the important information in a way that is easy to understand and thank you for showing the different roles you can have to support children in the foster care system

[TeacherKellyTag]

I like the way you broke this down. I think respite care would be the best for me. I like that it can be planned ahead of time and is a temporary situation. My son is a junior in HS but I would like to do this after he goes to college. I’ve been following you for a couple of years anticipating that I will do this one day. Thanks for showing the different ways to help.

[ameliamccown]

These services are desperately needed. Anyone who is considering helping out, be aware that sometimes the information you get up front is not correct. I provided what was supposed to be a three day respite stay for a teen. It turned into a two week stay. (They said respite but it was really more of an emergency placement situation although it took some time to realize this). I was told that she went to a school in my district. Turns out the paperwork was two years old and I ended up driving her 30 minutes each way to school. My advise is to expect nothing. Flexibility is a must if you are going to work with the system. The kids I have hosted have been fine but the foster care system is nuts!

[cathybrackin]

I'm not a foster parent, but I am a CASA working on my first case. Love your content. Keep us the good work.

[MaryAnn-Emmy]

Thank you for showing the different aspects of the foster process. I truly wish all locations had the same level of support you show in your videos. I also wish all foster homes are as wonderful as you. We’d have a lot less kids traumatized by the foster process.

I had a friend whose daughter was taken into foster care for a short time. It was a sad situation all around, because the mom had just gotten out of an abusive relationship. Some things happened where she was temporarily taken while Mom was assessed.

Anyway, the daughter had to spend the night in the CPS offices. It would have been so much less traumatic if there had been an emergency care home. The daughter still has nightmares about that whole experience.

[tenleyharper]

Hi Laura
I’m a young teen who is looking to foster in the future and your channel has helped me see what is it like and what I need to be qualified to do this. ❤Thank you and keep up the hard work.

[trinkbug]

i’m not a foster parent yet, but it’s one of my passions and I can’t wait for the day i’m able to help kids in situations like I was. your channel is so helpful and insightful and I appreciate everything you do ❤️

[blessednestpets]

I LOVE this! Hope to see more in this format! I feel like all of your content has such valuable information given in a style that really let's you picture it. Being able to see more in depth like this is so helpful!

[kaiatheodore]

Love the camera work in this one!

I've commented on several videos over the past several months. Back in April, I said I was taking two months to live alone before I started filling out the paperwork. At first it was hard to wait because I was chomping at the bit, then as the two months drew to an end, I realized I needed more time to work on myself and my house before I jumped in. After six months of living alone and a bunch of projects and some personal adjustments, I'm thinking I'm pretty close to ready, now. I actually filled out the application last week, but I haven't sent it yet. The list of things I think I should finish before becoming responsible for foster children has gotten very short--most of it could be done concurrently with the application process in order to have it completed before the licensing process finished. There's only one or two things that need to be done before I turn in the application, so... I think I'll be finally starting the process sometime this week or next! My current long-term substitute position and my degree will be both finished in December, and the average licensing process at the agency I plan to apply to is only three months. All of my time/energy intensive projects will be done a few weeks before I'd get my license, leaving me with plenty of free time, flexibility, and mental capacity to spend on children!

[Auraliight]

I'm only 14, so this obviously something i'm not in all involved with, but I am genuinely curious about all this type of stuff, plusss I find your videos very comforting and a bit inner-child healing if that makes sense? I'm planning to study psychology and then get into child psychology, so I find your videos intriguing and helpful. Thank you!!!

[anainesgonzalez]

I am not a foster parent nor I been in the foster care system. I was an abused child who went through court in my country. This videos are really validating and they give me much hope

[katielear]

Wow! Just wow. You are amazing in all that you do! This video is one of your greatest ones because it (like always) shows all the different team members who help in the care of a child, but also breaks down their specific roles which is great in helping people learn more and potentially pursuing one of those roles. The camera work is very professional and you've improved a lot at explaining things and portraying certain situations. I love following your channel from the start and I'm excited for more of this! Thanks again Laura :)

[marionbradford]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I've dreamed of being a foster parent or adopting since i was a kid. However, I work full time and have loans so i wasnt sure what was possible. Respite sounds like a great way to dip my toe in that fits my work requirements.

[illhaveabite.]

Thanks so much for making these videos and showing what to expect and normalizing the process for potential foster parents.

[LeeirahBrashka]

I love your channel is so well put together, your videos are so informative as well. Thank you for your knowledge!

I’ve always wanted to foster temporarily so I can help teens with a hard life feel appreciated and that they deserve safety and unconditional love.

[emily]

I love your content, been seeing your shorts for some time and I’m glad to stumble upon your longer form videos too. I am not a foster parent, and I’m no where near the point in my life where I can foster children. But it has been a dream of mine to foster and/or adopt older children and/or siblings when I am stable enough to do so. Thank you so much for your videos, new subscriber here.

[AlexxMarieV]

Thank you for making this video. I'm a social worker and I'm considering being a foster parent, this video was super informative and informational!

[novied]

I know someone that has a child that used to be in foster care. I won't get into details but the birth mom ended up choosing an open adoption. Now the used to be foster parents are the little girl's adoptive parents.

[maryreneew]

Wonderful video Laura! I so appreciate the time you give to make these videos to educate people. You’re awesome Laura! 🩷