Children First FFA

Ideally, foster parents provide a stable family home in which the child can grow and thrive. But foster care is meant to be a temporary solution to a complicated problem. All involved parties work together to resolve the family problems and reunite children with their natural parents. At that time, foster parents must give up the children they have bonded with, fed, clothed, and housed. So how does one get over, what is essentially, the loss of a child? Think of the child. The first step to letting go of [...]

Foster children often come from environments that did not have healthy boundaries and relationships. Because of this, they may struggle to apply proper boundaries in their interactions with others. Boundaries are lines that establish what one person will accept of another person’s actions and words. They are designed to keep out toxic behaviors, such as abuse, manipulation, harassment, and cruelty, and to encourage the kind of treatment that will be accepted. As a foster parent, you will need to help them recognize and respect these boundaries with other people and [...]

The reports of foster parent burnouts are frequent. This is understandable, given that fostering has a number of stressful challenges, ranging from traumatized children, frequent changes in caseworkers, limited support, the nearly constant threat of losing children, and more. But it doesn’t need to end there. To maintain the stamina for long-term foster parenting, it’s imperative that foster parents invest in their own emotional and physical health. Self-Care Foster parenting is a child-focused service, which is important, but in order for you to care for others, you will need to [...]

California has 62,000 children in foster care. According to Dr. John DeGarmo of the Foster Care Institute, the number of children being placed in the foster system has steadily been increasing nationwide while the number of foster parents has been decreasing. In Shasta County, the number of children entering foster care is more than twice the number of children entering care in the rest of California. For infants, the ratio is more than three times higher. This has lent to a massive shortage in an already limited pool of caregivers. [...]

For most, becoming a foster parent is a rewarding experience, but becoming approved to house foster children in the first place can be a long and arduous process. It is no secret that there are many income and background verifications that must take place. In addition to verifying your ability to properly support foster children, both emotionally and financially, your local agency will also require you to fulfill certain requirements in and around your home. Around the House Foster care agencies are tasked with finding safe and appropriate home environments [...]

Few skills are as important as emotional intelligence. It’s been shown to be a major factor in an individual’s ability to achieve success. Studies have shown that people with average IQs and high emotional intelligence outperform those with high IQs up to 70 percent of the time. They’ve also shown that those with high emotional intelligence tended to make an average of $29,000 more per year than those with low emotional intelligence! As a foster care parent, you have the opportunity to help at-risk children develop this very valuable skill. [...]

Each year, 26,000 American youth “age out” of the foster care system. In the past, these children lost everything including their homes, healthcare, financial assistance, and contact with social workers. This occurs after they may have already been abandoned, neglected, abused, and spent their lives cycling through foster homes. They are less likely to form strong bonds and may not have the same access to family support as biological children when they turn 18. Fortunately, federal guidelines have been put into place that require states to assist these youth with [...]

When a foster child comes to your home, you’re not only becoming a caregiver—you’re also becoming a teacher. Chances are, the child has not had the opportunity to learn practical life skills. You may be the first person to take her under your wing and teach these things. Even if the child ends up not staying at your home, he will carry those life skills with him and be much better equipped to face the world. Cooking Cooking is a very basic life skill. Without it, a child that ages [...]

As the need for two incomes has become more necessary many families are finding it difficult to make healthy choices. Parents are working more and their children are hooked on digital “babysitters”. However, with a little preparation, parents can promote healthy lifestyles for themselves and their kids. Plan ahead. Unlike pre-packaged and frozen meals, healthy meal options take some preparation. The first step in providing nutritionally-sound foods should include creating an actual menu before writing the shopping list. Knowing what side dishes will be served with which entrees will ensure [...]