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| Frequently
Asked Questions |
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1. Can a single person be
a foster parent? |
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2. We both work outside of
the home. Can we be foster parents?
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3. We live in an
apartment. Can we be licensed?
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4. Do we have any say in
which children are placed in our home? |
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5. How do these children
get into foster care? |
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6. How long do the
children stay in foster care? |
| 7. Can
we adopt the foster children placed with us? |
| 8. Who
pays for medical expenses? |
| 9. Who
is responsible for the child's expenses? |
| 10. Can
we take the children on vacation with us? |
| 11. What
is the treatment approach used by KHDS Specialized Foster Care? |
| 12. What
kind of training is provided? |
| 13. Will
there be someone to contact when there is a problem? |
| 14. What
if a child causes damage to our home, who's responsible? |
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| Can
a single person be a foster parent? |
| Yes. Some very
successful foster parents have been single. The real question is
whether or not you have the time and energy to work with children who have
needs and whether you have a support system to get you through tough
times? |
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| We
both work outside of the home. Can we be foster parents? |
| Yes. It is
possible. You would need to have time available to provide
supervision and treatment. If both work outside of the home, you
will need good job flexibility and/or additional resources to assist you
with school problems, illnesses and professional appointments. |
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| We
live in an apartment. Can we be licensed? |
| Yes, as long as
there is adequate space for another child. The minimum standard
requires 200 square feet per person in the home and 40 square feet of open
floor space per child in the bedroom. Each child must be provided
their own bed and children of the same gender are able to share a room. |
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| Do
we have any say in which children are placed in our home? |
| Yes. We match
the child's needs to the family's strengths and abilities. In
addition, we have a pre-placement process which involves visits to help
make this important decision. |
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| How
do these children get into foster care? |
| All children are
referred by the Department
of Children and Family Services. These children have been
identified by Juvenile Court as "Children in Need of Protective
Services" or who have been found delinquent or at least the present
time children cannot receive the care they need in their own family home. |
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| How
long do the children stay in foster care? |
| Each child has their
own individual plan. For those children who have the plan to return
home it often depends on how quickly the parents can meet the conditions
for return. When return is not possible, some children become
available for adoption. A few children have the plan of long term
foster care. |
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| Can
we adopt the foster children placed with us? |
| When the court
decides that it is in the child's best interest to be separated from their
family and made eligible for adoption foster parents are normally the
first resource considered for adoption. We have a growing list of
children in our program who have been adopted by their foster parents. |
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| Who
pays for medical expenses? |
| Each of the children
receives a state funded medical card that pays for medical, dental and
psychiatric expenses. This includes counseling and medications. |
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| Who
is responsible for the child's expenses? |
| Foster parents are
given a check once a month to provide for all the children's needs.
This includes food, clothing, recreation, allowance, school fees and
daycare expenses if necessary. |
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| Can
we take the children on vacation with us? |
| In most situations
the answer is yes and it can be a wonderful experience for the
children. We do need to obtain permission from the parents and
county social worker in most situations. |
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| What
is the treatment approach used by KHDS Specialized Foster Care? |
| KHDS uses the Teaching-Family
Model as the primary method for helping children learn how to be
successful. We supplement this approach with the Bowen
Family System and Belonging Theory. |
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| What
kind of training is provided? |
| KHDS provides
pre-service training as well as on-going month training focusing on the Teaching-Family
Model. |
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| Will
there be someone to contact when there is a problem? |
| Yes. Each
family has a family consultant who is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week via cell phone. |
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| What
if a child causes damage to our home, who's responsible? |
| The State of
Wisconsin provides supplemental insurance to provide coverage when your
homeowner's (or renter's) insurance does not cover the damage. |
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