 |
| Finger prints on a Fall day ... |
The Process
In August, we turned in all the information on the four of us to set up the background check process. In September, Jonathan's Place submitted our information to IndentoGo and we received four notifications via email for each member of the family. We then set up our appointments online. Fortunately, the Carrollton location had Saturday appointment times. The IndentoGo was hidden in the Sylvan Learning Center so took us a bit of sleuthing to locate. Every member of the family now has a full set of finger prints and both thumbs in "the system." It took 40 minutes and we paid about $150 to accomplish this particular step of the foster care process. There are several expenses to becoming foster care licensed which I find to be unfortunate as it could be a financial hardship for many people wishing to be foster parents.
After
Afterward we shared a fun lunch at Eggsellent Cafe. Food is always a big winner with teen boys and this was a new restaurant for us. Husband and I used this as an opportunity to update the boys on where we are in the foster care process and provide a chance for questions. Oldest Son and Youngest Son were both pretty nonchalant about the concept. While Husband and I are going through hours and hours of training, there is absolutely none for biological children in the prospective foster home. I anticipate we will proactively have the boys watch some videos and develop our own "preparation course" for them.
 |
| Next door to the background check location. |
 |
| Family of Four. Eats. |
The decision to foster children is multi-layered for our family. One reason includes embarking on a life experience together as a family. How many families get to do background checks together? Ha! On a more serious note, we will learn together, grow together and change the world together. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we are meant to love a child that needs their community to embrace them.
Learn More About Foster Care ...
Husband sent me an article the past week. The University of California, Irvine has released a sudy that overall foster kids faced two to three times higher risks of physical health issues such as asthma, obesity and hearing and vision problems. And they were five to seven times more likely to have behavioral issues or symptoms of depression or anxiety. While the study findings aren't surprising, they're important since they quantify the risks these children face.
Read more here:
CLICK HERE FOR UPI ARTICLE
CLICK HERE FOR UC ARTICLE
CLICK HERE FOR PUBLISHED STUDY: Mental and Physical Health of Children in Foster Care
