You can call your local SRS and they can possibly give you information on what agency you can go through. For my husband and I we had to go to an informational meeting now we are going through a 10 week training course. They will want to do a tour of your home to see if it is a safe place for a child to be and you also have to have a background check. And I know you have to take a CPR class. I hope that helps.
I just googled foster care in st. louis missouri and got these links:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Me 34 DH 39
Dx 9/1999
Married September 12, 1998
Adopted Sami (3) and John (9) March 13, 2006 Fostered them from 2/2005 till adoption.
BFP 10/25 first ever after 150 mg of clomid.
u/s 11/7 - tech would not tell me anything!!! that is never good news
My advice once you get started - Love them like they'll never leave. Treat them as your own. Take lots of pictures.
If they stay you will have always treated them like a vital part of your family. If by chance they leave your home to go to bio-family, they'll know what Love is and how they should be treated. Know that either way, you will have an impact on the children - and that's what Foster Care is all about (at least to the Foster families). These children will always be a part of you and you of them.
We were extremely fortunate to receive wonderful, beautiful children that started out as straight foster - we were priveledged to adopt both of them. We never went through the turmoil of sending one back to bio-family (this would have broken our hearts - but still would have been SO worth it). We do, however, have contact (via pictures/letters) with their bio-mothers.
The Lord couldn't have picked children who were more perfect for our family. Our daughter is just like our bio-son (who takes after me) and our younger son is just like Daddy. After reading their files, either or both could have easily been brought into care before we were licensed and we would never have known them - I swear it is a GOD thing that brought them to our home.
I know there are lots of negative stories about Foster Care, Case Workers, CPS, Agencies, etc - we had a very positive experience, so have no negative stories to tell.
The Lord brought our children into our home, we chose to keep them. We feel very Blessed.
Here are the steps I was advised to take by several people with foster care. I wish I had at least considered listening to them.
1. Turn around
2. Run as fast as you can in the other direction
Our hearts were ripped out, and 6 months later I have still not recovered emotionally, and I doubt I ever will. We were intentionally taken advantage of by the state and we were also intentionally lied to by them. They knew two entire months before our baby girl was born that she would be placed with siblings in another state, and until two weeks before we could file to legally adopt her they didn't say a word. After I talked to the other family and questioned them the workers admitted knowing what was going on, "but they didn't feel we needed to know".
I now have this huge hole in my heart, and anger that fills my entire body because of what the state put us through. After our experience I have had three other teachers at my school alone that have had horrible experiences with foster care as well. My state has dug the hole so deep with foster parents that they are in crisis. Now if you go through them and do foster care you have to pay $3000 to sign with another agency, and they have to approve the agency.
Basically they are trapping people by making them pay a fee to stop doing foster care, and making it harder to adopt through an agency when you get tired of their crap. Some people have had good experiences with FC, but majority have not.
Well people need to realize the one outcome if it possible is Family Preservation. Also, if its possible they try to keep the children together.Yes, people have had both good and back experiences with the FC system in their area.
Another thing is that if a chid is in the system they can be adopted by another family. Some of that depends if the foster family doesn't want the child.
Lastly, the whole point of doing foster care is to help out the children in a time of need. Good luck in your decision.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I do foster care. I just contacted my local Department of Human Services and started classes and everything. I take 1-3. I don't know why everyone is saying how horrible it is. I went into it knowing I was going to be a foster parent. That I only have the kids temporarily.
I have only been doing it since August. I first got a 3 year old lil girl and then a 13 month old lil boy (not siblings) The 3 year old left a month later, and then I got a 2 year old boy. I now have the now 15 month old and the 2 year old. The 2 year old will be going to grandmas soon. It happens and I expect it. Not sure how much longer we'll have the 15 month old.
Don't do foster care if you can't handle it, cuz it happens. Kid's will leave. We are not their parents, just their foster parents.
__________________
Codi (22) & Kevin (27) TTC #1 Since 9/07 M/C @ 10 weeks 5/30/08
8 cycles of Clomid- 7 BFNs
3 cycles of Femara- 3 BFNs Foster Mommy to:
David- 1y4m & Yazzie- 4 y & Alexa-1y3m
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I live in the metroeast and am in the process of becoming a foster parent also. Please contact me if you want to know everything I have had to do. I dont know if you are actualy St. Louis which have different rules or on the East Side.
I also knew they may leave. But I was told with our second placement we would be able to adopt, and after 6 months I found out that they knew the entire time we couldn't. I am glad you had a great experience, congrats. However, we sure as H$LL didn't because we were intentionaly lied to. If you are cool with being lied to straight faced the go for it, but I don't like it.
I also offer my opinion when people ask because I think they deserve to know. Foster care is different in every state and even counties differ. Our state is a mess, and now they are paying for it. They are in severe need for foster parents. Gee I wonder why, could it have something to do with the fact that they lie to people intentionally to get placements?
Wow! All this sounds so sad!
We considered fostering but decided I could not cope mentally with giving back the kids.
I have 1 son and every time I see an add for foster parents I am tempted to apply, but I know it would tear me apart.
I am ill so probably would not get the approval anyway, but I know if I did foster I would give it 1000%, BUT part of me also thinks, if I/we did foster and treated child very well, and then they get back to their bio parents "who are still" not capable but get the kids back. Hard to explain, but I do know of a case where 3 kids were put in care, as they were been neglected, left alone in a freezing cold house, anyway, these people got their kids back about 3 yrs ago.
2 of the 3 kids are now in prison, the other threw herself off a bridge, and survived. Their bio dad is in jail for rape, and the bio mother has had 2 more kids since. I could not foster also knowing that the kids could end up back to where they started. It takes a very strong person to foster in my opinion. We are all different on how we cope, I am just not a 100% on fostering, and kids that need fostering need 1000%, sorry if this is all mixed up, trying to explain how I feel. Good luck to all of you who foster.
Here in Texas you have an option to foster to adopt. This is a program where kids are placed in homes with familys who's main goal is adoption. Although there is still a risk of the child leaving the home it is far less likely then a home who is strictly foster care.
We started the process in Jan and by July we were placed with a beautiful 14 month old baby girl. Her parental rights were terminated in September and now we are adopting her in April. We were very lucky and blessed but knew exactly what we were getting into by going the route we did to start our family. I believe during the process my heart also changed for these kids and even if our daughter went to live with other members if her family or back to her bio family it was well worth the time we have been able to spend with her and watch her learn and grow! If you have a desire to be a parent, even if it is just a foster parent with the hopes of adoption then I suggest you open up your homes, mind and heart because it is so rewarding!
The key is to find a good agency. Our agency is awesome and they help to cut out the politics and mess that just comes along with CPS.
We are going to open our home back up again after the adoption is finalized for a little boy six months and younger!
Everyone has a different story! Please look into what you and your family is comfterable with! Good luck.
__________________ HEATHER
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Me (26) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DH (25)
TTC #1 since 2004
Dx'd with PCOS: October 2006
2/26/07 Dh s/a #2~Under 1 Million!!!!
IVF #1 -3rd Beta 7/9/07~11 M/C
FET #1 ~ 10/1/2007~ Negative
1/1/08~ Starting Foster to Adopt
Ages-0-3 Open 1-2 siblings.
07/15/2008- 15 month Girl! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
03/16/2009- 4 month old Boy! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Finalized Brittany's adoption- 6/03/09
8/16/09- Call for a premie baby BOY, waiting for him to leave the hospital.
Waiting for Kade's TPR, court- 8/31/09
Thanks for all the advice. We have been praying about this for a long time. And it may be a long while I just want to know the right steps to do so.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Rachel 23, DH 26 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Medications
Metformin 2000mg
Prenatals
Provera 10x10
Lots of Prayer! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I work in the foster care system in Texas. There are a lot of ups and down. But, if you want to be a parent and change a child's life, fostering is a great way to do that. Before PCOS, I wanted to adopt but leaned more towards closed, domestic infant ado. Now, my husband and I have decided CPS adoption is the best choice for us. I knew these precious infants would be adopted. But, the kids in foster care don't have that promise. These children just need a safe, forever family.
There are also a lot of great private agencies that act as an intermediary between you and CPS. I hope this helps.
Foster care varies greatly from state to state and it isn't fair to clump every state system together. Some states are MUCH better than others and as someone pointed out here some are downright corrupt. I live in NH and work with a private foster care agency. They are much more supportive and the process is much better. Talk to people who have experience with your particular state before making a decision. For us the hardest part of the process were our home inspections. They wanted my 1844 farmhouse to be up to 2008 building codes. Kristin
Foster Care? 
