Foster parents
welcome children into their homes.
Foster parents take care of children removed from their birth families because of neglect, abuse, abandonment or the death of a parent or caregiver. In King County, Washington, foster parents are required to undergo specialized orientation and training classes, as well as apply for a license. The Department of Social and Health Services offers many avenues of support for foster parents, including free classes to help cope with challenging issues that may arise.
Instructions
1. Fulfill the proper requirements. Foster parents have to be at least 21 years old, earn income aside from any foster care payment, be able to provide the necessary supervision given the child's age and behavior, and be able to discipline children without using physical punishment.
2. Complete all necessary training. Foster parents are expected to learn administer First Aid and CPR and to know about blood-borne pathogens. Complete the orientation and a pre-service training course called PRIDE (Parenting Resources for Information Development & Education), which is free of charge to participants. The entire course totals 30 hours of training; the orientation is three hours long and the pre-service training is 27 hours. A certificate of completion is awarded following the conclusion of the course.
3. Complete all background checks. All adults living in a home where a foster child resides must complete a background check with the FBI and Washington State Patrol. All teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 must also complete a Washington State Patrol background check. Adults must also submit
results of tuberculosis tests, which can be no more than one year old.
4. Complete the application for a Foster Family Home Care License and mail it to your local Division of Licensed Resources. Complete all supplemental forms sent to you from the local office, including autobiographical information and details on how you enforce discipline.
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