|
Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent
Covenant
Foster Care has many children in need of both permanent and
temporary homes and families. We are seeking families interested
in providing a loving, safe, healthy and stable environment for
these children.
We view Covenant
Foster Parents as missionaries in their own home. Our foster
parents are
part of a treatment team along with the foster child, the foster
child's biological family,
the child's welfare case manager, Covenant Foster Care staff, teachers, and
other involved parties. Covenant Foster Parents are the heroes
that make things happen … they make a difference in a child’s
eternity!
Becoming a
foster parent is a wonderful adventure and a blessed choice to
serve children in their time of need. The Bible is very clear
about the mandate to serve those in need and extremely clear as
to the ministry required to the fatherless. James 1:27 states it
plainly:
“Religion
that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to
look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep
oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Foster
parenting can be a strenuous but rewarding experience for you
and your family. One of life's greatest pleasures is seeing a
child grow and progress while under your care and eventually
either return to his/her parents when conditions have improved
or become prepared for adoption.
Thank you
for even “thinking” about becoming a foster parent. The ministry
of foster care is close to the heart of God and it is an
extension of His love to His children … thanks for caring!
Becoming a
Foster Parent is a simple procedure, but takes time and
determination to complete. All requirements for becoming a
Foster Parent are intended to provide safety and security for
both foster child and the Foster Parent. The steps are:
-
Contact Covenant
Foster Care for information. Simply call either the
Bakersfield Office (661)
326-8304 or the Covina Office at (626) 967-4837. You can
also email the
Covenant office and we will send out an information packet for
your review. You can also go through this website to help get an
overview of Covenant Community Services.
-
Attend an
Orientation. After you review the information packet
you can call the Covenant office to
schedule an orientation. At the orientation, the Covenant team
will give you an overview of foster care, explain the
certification process in detail, and answer your
questions.
-
Complete the
Covenant Foster Parent Application. At the end of your
orientation, you will be given an application to fill out.
Return the completed application to Covenant as soon as it is
completed. Along with the application, you will submit various
documents including;
-
Copies of your drivers license(s)
-
DMV printouts
-
First Aid and CPR certification
-
Health Screen including a TB test
-
Proof of Auto Insurance
Once the Covenant Team has reviewed the application and are
satisfied that the basic elements are in place, they will
contact you to begin a home study and schedule a home
inspection.
- Have a Home Study Prepared.
The home study provides Covenant with comprehensive information
needed to place children in your care. You and members of the
Covenant team will meet several times during the process. All
adults in your home must be fingerprinted and cleared through
the State Central Registry for Abuse and Neglect.
- Complete a Training Series.
While the home study is underway, you will attend trainings and
support groups to familiarize yourself with the Covenant team
and our processes. Through training and support you will improve
your parenting skills and assess your own strengths as a foster
parent. You will learn how to work with birth parents and how to
help children adjust to their temporary home.
-
Have a Home Inspection Completed.
A member of the CFC team will complete a Home Inspection to
insure that your home meets state regulations for foster care.
You will receive a copy of the Home Inspection form in your
application packet to help you prepare for the inspection.
-
Become a Certified Foster Parent.
Upon the successful completion of your home study, home
inspection, and training,
you will become a certified foster parent with Covenant Foster
Care. This means that you can
now care for foster children in your home.
-
A Child is Placed in Your Home.
When you are certified, you will begin receiving calls from
Covenant to place children in your home. If the match is right,
the child(ren) will come to stay with you on either a short-term
or longer-term basis. Before a child is placed in your home, the
Covenant social worker will tell you about visitation schedules with birth
parents and siblings, and will give you information that will
help you provide the best care for the child.
We hope
you will find the certification process to be a learning
experience. It is designed not just for Covenant to find out
about your ability to foster parent, but also for you to learn
about Covenant, foster children and the role of foster
parenting. By the end of the process, you should know whether
or not you want to become a foster parent and what types of
children will fit best in your family.
Thank
you for your interest in becoming a part of the Covenant Foster
Care team supporting children in need!
|
