CHOSEN Parent FAQ
CHOSEN presents a list of questions that are often asked by men and women considering foster parenting.
Q: What are the ages of the children you serve?
A: The children range in age from birth to 21 years old. However; the children who are currently being referred to our agency are teenagers 12-18 years of age. We are requiring that all of our new treatment families be willing to accept teenagers into their home.
Q: Do we get to choose the age, race, sex of the child placed with us?
A: Yes. We will discuss your preferences during the interview and home study. Treatment parents can always say “no” to a placement about which they feel uncomfortable. However; if this becomes a pattern and we are unable to use the treatment home due to a parent being too choosey then we may consider terminating the relationship. Please note that we take your family dynamics into consideration and would not attempt to place a child in your home that we feel is not a good match.
Q: What kind of behavioral or emotional problems do the children have -- are they all abused or neglected?
A: Our children have been abused, neglected or have suffered some traumatic experience in their lives. The type of behavioral or emotional problems differ for each child. They can include running away, substance use, aggression, developmental delays, educational deficits, sexually inappropriate behavior, vandalism, etc.
Q: What kinds of support do foster parents receive?
A: CHOSEN parents receive extensive training, supervision and support in the form of weekly home visits, 24 hour crisis intervention, and respite care. CHOSEN parents also receive financial compensation.
Q: Do all couples have to be married to become CHOSEN parents?
A: Yes, BFCS only certifies couples who are legally married for at least 1 year.
Q: Can single people become CHOSEN parents?
A: Yes. While its not mandatory we do ask all potential parents to select a Secondary Treatment Parent (STP). This is a person who will help them in times of crisis or stress. A neighbor, friend or relative can be your STP. The STP must meet the same criteria that a primary parent meets. Therefore, they must attend and successfully complete the Pre-Service training and be fully approved to supervise and “treat” the child.
Q: What if my secondary parent or I can’t make it to all of the training classes?
A: We prefer that no more than 2 classes be missed by either of the treatment parents. If more than two classes would be missed, then we ask that you wait until another training class begins that will be more suitable to your schedules. Yet, if one and/or the other needs to legitimately miss 1 or 2 classes, we have make-up trainings scheduled throughout the training session but both parents have to complete all trainings. So, one cannot substitute for the other.
Q: What if I just want to be a respite (part-time) parent or if I’m not sure that I want to follow through with becoming an approved parent, can I still attend the class?
A: Yes, we are always in need of respite parents. We encourage people to attend our training because we think the skills we teach work, whether you decide to become a treatment parent or not. We like to emphasize that your commitment to us as well as our commitment to you is only tentative during the training and the home study process because it needs to be a thoroughly investigated decision on both our parts.
Q: I am currently with another foster care agency. Can I be a treatment foster parent for two agencies at the same time?
A: No. Maryland state regulations require that a foster family CANNOT be approved by two agencies at the same time. Therefore, a family would need to formally resign from their current agency and agree to allow the agencies to share information related to performance. Also, we discourage any change in agencies if the foster family is currently caring for a foster child as any disruptions in placement are very difficulty for all involved.
Q: Do I need to have a car?
A: Yes. CHOSEN parents are required to have transportation.
Q: What if I work outside the home?
A: That is okay. CHOSEN parents are required to be economically stable outside of the financial compensation paid to them by our agency.
Q: Do I have to be employed?
A: No. CHOSEN parents are required to be economically stable outside of the financial compensation paid to them by our agency. So, you do not have to have a job but you must have a permanent and sufficient source of income (i.e. retirement benefits, disability income, etc.). Unemployment is not a permanent source of income.
Q: Does the CHOSEN child have to have their own room?
A: No, but you need to have adequate space for the CHOSEN child. One child can stay in a room that is 80 square feet and two children can share a room that is 120 square feet or larger.
Q: How many foster children can I care for?
A: There are many demands placed on your time and energy. For that reason, we prefer to only place one child (in special circumstances two youth) per home. There are exceptions especially for sibling sets.
If you feel called to this important vocation, please leave a message for our parent recruitment specialists today!
SUCCESSES!
Note: These stories are taken from our monthly "PrayerGram." If you would like to receive the Prayergram by email, please click here and leave us your address. All names have been changed to protect the identities of our kids and families.
Melissa approved two new families for our Safe Families for Children program. One family is from Faith Baptist Church in Glen Burnie and the other is from North Harford Baptist Church. We also welcomed two new CHOSEN families earlier this month --one from Howard County and the other from Baltimore County. We are happy that they are willing to open their homes to children in need.
There is great news to pass along about Ching Lan, for whom you have been praying over the past several months. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in January and started a full time job with benefits this week. Ching Lan is now looking at a more stable future.
Darron took his GED test this week. After he receives the GED, he has a job lined up and ready to go.
Kudos to foster parent Tamara Harris for her willingness to stay up all night during a recent hospitalization with her CHOSEN child.
Prayer Requests
...for a foster child who is having difficulty with the transition back to his biological family and is acting out.
...for a foster teen who has not had contact with his biological family for years and is hesitant to respond after they reached out to him through social media.
...for a woman who lost her husband on Monday; she is feeling overwhelmed by the logistics of his burial as well as the grief of losing him.
...for a foster child who is struggling to stay on task at school.
...for a young man who is seeking a diagnosis for chronic abdominal pain.
...for a foster child who has been experiencing suicidal ideations.
...for a man who will undergo cataract surgery next week.
...for a young mother who is recovering from a severe infection in the brain and going through physical therapy.