Foster Care Application: Fill & Download for Free

It is always terrible, for the child, to be placed into foster care. Terrible circumstances led to the placement, and being anyplace new, to live, with strangers, is scary for a traumatized child. Therefore, foster care is terrible. Even under the best of circumstances, it is Terrible For The CHILD. And, it is NOT ALWAYS the best of circumstances. Often, the new circumstances are also terrible.Personally, I found it easier to be abused by complete strangers, rather than by my actual blood relatives - but it was still terrible.I can’t say exactly how the system should be changed - because it is really just too much for me to go into - aside from the fact that many of the changes needed will actually need to be done on the Federal Policy Level, and would involve revamping the entire antiquated system, and I have hopes that it will be done, if/when we get a sane and intelligent and compassionate government back in office.First and Foremost… Children get lost in the system. That needs to stop. Records aren’t even properly kept. They’ve never properly kept records for foster kids. See here: A Tiny Scar, From FallingThere are some good things happening.I support Comfort Cases, providing luggage (rather than those horrid, black trash bags) for foster children - this charity was created by a former foster youth who is now a foster parent: MissionI support A Home Within, which provides lifelong, free therapy to former foster youth, and is also connected to a former foster youth: Foster Care Psychological Services From A Home WithinFCAA, of which I’m a member, does great advocacy work - because they're primarily steered by former foster youth: National Policy Council - Foster Care Alumni of AmericaA few other important things have improved a little bit since I was in care, which was from 1979 until I ran away at age 14, in 1984.They tested pharma drugs on foster children, back then.They sold young, white, pregnant foster girl’s babies, back then.Back then, at 18, you just got tossed out onto the street. ‘Happy Birthday, bye!’ If you didn't have someplace sorted out to go - that was on you - you were literally homeless.Those horrendous things aren't common practice, anymore.I’ve heard there is now a small stipend paid to aging out foster kids, for two years, to assist them with living expenses. Hopefully that is federal. I haven't had time to look into it yet!When I was in foster care, there was no law stipulating that foster youth must be placed in school. And, many of us weren't. They'd lose our school records, in the mail, all of the time, and then the schools would say we can't be enrolled without them. Many of us were not getting the most basic of an education.It is now illegal to do that. The schools must accept foster kids, even without school records. By law, we now get to go to school, just like other kids do. After turning 18, officially no longer a runaway criminal, I was involved in advocacy for that.Also, when I turned 18 (came out of hiding), I walked into a community college, to get my GED, and go to college... I was told that I was not able to get federal student loans without my parent's signatures, and their tax returns - there were no exceptions for legal wards of the state - I had to wait till I was 24 years old, in order to apply without them. That meant I still couldn't go to school. My parents? Ha! Not happening.I began writing letters... to everyone... about it. I wrote hundreds of letters, for years, drawing anyone and everyone's attention to it.That law has now changed. It took a while, but it has changed. A former ward of the state can obtain federal student loans, and enroll in college, or a GED program, without any parental documentation or signatures. That is now federal law. We can just check a box on the student loan application. There is also a tuition fund for the first two years for community college for former foster youth, if they attend before the age of 20. It is a federal stipend. I'm working on having the age cap removed. All of that came into place way too late to help me.Also, when the few foster youth did get into college, they’d find that the 'away' colleges, both state and private, were not making accommodations for former foster youth over summers and holidays - including my school, Smith College.(I was accepted to Smith at age 36, on a full academic scholarship, and I graduated with honors, in 2009, after enrolling in a community college at age 33, and earning my GED, and my AA degree. I was not able to go back at 24, due to bills and responsibilities, but I eventually got there. I also have a Masters from St. John’s University, also obtained by full academic scholarship. Even still, I wish I could have done it at age 18!)I got on the letter trail for that, because admitted and traditional aged former foster kids were literally ending up homeless during school closings, and many ended up not returning to their educational facilities, based on the hardship it created. Our college entrance rates were low anyway, and our drop out rates are enormous, and that was a contributing factor to it.The schools were literally oblivious to it, and had nothing in place for those disadvantaged, former wards of the state students. Many schools have much more of an awareness now. Many do provide special off-term accommodations for such students. Many no longer make the default assumption that mommy and daddy have gotten every student a flight home for Christmas. So, this helped the broke-ass students too! But, it was especially helpful to the admitted students who were former wards of the state.Most of the early advocacy that I did was done as an individual, because there weren't any organizations in place that I knew of, back then.Nobody was helping me... Nobody was helping us.Now, we have the Foster Care Alumni Association, which is awesome - it allows US to speak for OURSELVES, and advocate for what WE decide that WE NEED.Some things have slowly gotten a bit better, but we still have a very, very long way to go.Being a foster child is a terrible, terrible experince, but I’m working very hard, along with a lot of other former foster youth - all of us coming from a place of firsthand knowledge - to make it better.Thanks for the A2A Keith! I hope my long and detailed response has helped you to learn something about the foster care experience, specifically FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO WAS ACTUALLY IN FOSTER CARE!!!A ‘nice bed’ and a cookie doesn’t make everything all better for foster kids. We are STILL foster children, and THAT is ‘Always, and Under All Circumstances, TERRIBLE’.And, if you are going to create a post ABOUT ME, and tag me on it, for an answer, please be sure NOT to MISQUOTE me again, Mr. Elston.Thanks!I answered ‘Is Foster Care Terrible’, and THIS is what I wrote: Lara B. Sharp's answer to Is foster care terrible?

My brothers and sister were put in foster care due to my father and step-mom’s alcohol and drug addiction and some physical abuse. My dads mom, our grandmother, took the three in and cared for them after they’ve been in the system for 6 months.However, my sister (11) has ADHD and Bipolar disorder and we soon found out my brother (14) has a depression and also him being a new teenager, was rude and “annoying” all the time. My grandmother (50–60 and is in VERY good health) didnt want to to take care of them anymore (youngest being 7) and wanted to put them back into the system. My grandmothers husbands daughter (no blood-relations to any of us) wanted to (thankfully) take them in. But just the two boys because they wouldnt be able to handle my sister. I’m not 18 yet, I’m going into my senior year and starting college applications. I want to move to a state closer to my siblings (as the daughter lived down south and us in New England). I’d take my sister in a heart beat if I could. But I can’t because I dont have the financial resources to raise her (and im not of age but i’ll be 18 in a month). But she’s also found a home thankfully.They’re hearts are broken. They’re separated. They’ve been in system. They’ve been out. they almost went back in. It sucks knowing you’re not wanted. Their parents could have had them back had they sobered up (not even that - just attended AA meetings and take drug tests but they didnt) and their kids KNOW that. They’re heart broken. Please, I honestly beg of you, don’t so this. I understand how you want to travel the world and such, I do too, but I’d rather care for the ones I love so they can have a happy life. Take him with you if you want to travel. Unless he’s handicapped? Idk you’re situation as a whole, but if’s able to, take him too.

Hi there! My apologies upfront is this is long.Like so many others, I can only answer with my viewpoint and experiences.Between the ages of 7 to 18, I moved to over 9 different foster homes. The night my siblings and I officially entered the foster care system, we all stayed together, which apparently was temporary. Soon, we were split up. My two older sibling and younger brother were placed in one home, and I was placed in another. Their foster mother, only had room for one girl and two boys.From there, I lived with a foster mother not too far from where my siblings lived. I remember being happy. I was the only child, and got alllll the attention (which I loved). My foster mother was engaged, and soon started fostering more siblings with her fiancee. Eventually, I was moved out of that home, and from what I was told (which is spotty), she decided to adopt the siblings, and did not want to separate me from my own siblings.From there I bounced around to various different homes. I never understand why really. I was told it was because of my behavior, which is funny, because I’ve never though of myself as a ‘bad’ child, or unruly. In school, I was always quiet and shy, and I was the same way when I moved into different homes. But I was beginning to move around so much that I kept what little toys I had in this small box, so I wouldn’t leave them behind.By the time I was nine, I had moved to more than 6 different homes. That’s an average of three homes in two years. Eventually, the foster home my sibling were in, had another bed open for me, and I was able to move with my siblings. By the time I arrived, my oldest sibling had emancipated out of foster care, and no longer lived at the home. It was nice finally being with the bulk of my siblings, but I didn’t know what fresh hell awaited me.My first memory of living in that home was my foster mother and her older biological daughter calling me a heifer. I was sitting in a corner on time out for whatever I had did wrong. I had no idea what a heifer was, but I was smart enough to know that it wasn’t a good thing to be called. I told her not to call me that. I dared to talk back. The next thing I knew, she had picked me up by red shirt, and drug me to my room. I remembered the shirt because it was my favorite. It had a little pocket in the front, and it tore. I remember her being so mad. I remember her raising her hand to strike me. and me closing my eyes tight. Luckily, her husband came in and stopped her.These episodes did not stop. Throughout the years, I seemed to catch the worse of her wrath. I stayed in that home until I was 17. My last straw came my senior year of high school. My biological grandmother had passed away a few weeks before my final fall semester. I was at home, and I was filling out my college application to an out of state of university. The day before, I had argued with her about me wanting to go to prom. She told me no. I had never been allowed to do any outside activities with my friends, or attend school functions outside of school hours. I didn’t attend homecoming, birthday parties, nothing. And I though it was beyond unfair, especially since I got really good grades, and was in honors and AP, and I could see no logical reason why I couldn’t go to prom. But, she decided to bring this up again. I got mad. She got madder. She proceeded to tell me that I wasn’t going to amount to anything, I was going to be just like my crack-headed mother, and that I never gave a damn about my grandmother. I snapped. The next thing I knew, I was being handcuffed and carted off by the police. She had called and said I threatened to harm her (which I didn’t). As the arguing grew in volume, her husband who was unaware as to why we were arguing, tried blocking me from leaving the room, in which I still had the pen in my hand from filling out my application.I spent two weeks in a mental health facility. I saw other foster children who had also been dumped in this facility. I remember talking to this very young girl who had been put into this facility because she was just shy and really didn’t talk. I saw things no one, no child should have to witness.Eventually, I was let out, and because I was still in high school, and underage, I was moved into another foster home. I didn’t fare well at this home either. I was always anxious, to the point I would throw up anytime my foster mother would try to talk to me. Eventually, I was moved into my final foster home. Keep in mind, I was not told I was being moved until the day off. The foster mother I was staying with and the foster home I was moving to simply talked to each other, called my social worker and decided to move me. My social worker was not present for the move, nor did she call to let me know.The move was a few blocks over, and this was another hell waiting for me. I remembered this foster home from years before. I had lived in another foster home across the street from her years before. Her house was filthy, and I cannot emphasize filthy enough. She was a pack rat, and her go to excuse was ‘I just moved in’. The kitchen was especially horrendous. While I’m not one to knock buying discounted food, sometimes the food she would purchase would be expired. She locked the kitchen at night. At night I would get thirsty, but we would have to drink water from the sink. Cockroaches galore. She was abusive to her grandson who lived in the home. I remember one day waking up and finding deep, deep scratches in his face. He was still bleeding and she had forced him to stay home (I kept urging him to go to school, to tell someone). She tried once to corner me over a recording I had made of her, and I had to remind her that I would soon be an adult and I wasn’t going to take her shit.Luckily, she didn’t care too much if I was home or not, so I spent the majority of my time everywhere else. My grandfather made sure I had money to eat, and I spent my weekends at a friends house. Luckily, the end of high school was approaching and I would soon be a few states away. My social worker never came to visit me at the house. I tried alerting various people to the living conditions of this house, but no one believed me. They felt as though I was lying, because how could DCFS let children live in such conditions? So eventually, I shut my mouth, learned to survive and waited out my time.Just like anything in life, you get a shit pile of people. My older brother tried to give me some clarification as to why our foster mother treated us/me the way she did. There is not one solid reason why foster children are move around alot, but you can’t expect a child who is longing to go home to suddenly fit in. People prefer to adopt or foster younger, specifically babies. When I eneted the foster care system, I already had my own personality. And my foster mother wanted to change that to what she wanted it to be.Our former foster mother would constantly remind us to be grateful, and that she didn’t ask for us. But, we didn’t ask to be in the foster system either. Some people don’t really understand how hard it is to be snatched away from your family (or care), never really given a clear reason why, and then be told to be grateful. My former foster mother put us all in therapy, but never once participated to get a better understanding as to why we would ‘act up’, or why we were depressed, or had anxiety. It was easier to just ship us off to someone else.Abuse and neglect can easily go undetected, and at times, ignored. My sister was sexually assaulted repeatedly.We lived with a girl who was re-united with her family, but was back in the foster care system a year later.I have not met a foster parent who has thought fostering was not for them. Even as an adult. They simply get rid of the kid when things aren’t going well and foster another child.There are more than a handful of people who do go into fostering children simply for the money. Not as a main source of income, but as a bit of a boost. Some foster children are rated from A to D, ‘D’ being the worst off (and apparently now there’s F rate), bringing in a bit more money. You buy shitty food for the kids, thrift shop here and there, and you got a bit of a profit. But, that’s not to say that there aren’t people who foster because they truly have a big heart. But to me, those people are rare.