Wednesday, March 6, 2002
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Wednesday, March 6, 2002 |
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Fayette needs more foster parents By JOHN
MUNFORD
Fayette County is in need of foster parents. Since June, the number of local children in the state's custody has risen 38 percent. There are currently 65 children in foster care here, and officials from the Department of Families and Children Services are actively recruiting potential foster parents. "We're having to place children out of the county, which is not in the best interests of the children and families," said DFCS director Mary Davis. It is important for local foster children to stay in Fayette County so they can attend the same school and visit regularly with their parents, said Debbie Schindler, who coordinates the foster parenting program for DFCS. "They don't need just love," Schindler said. "They also need structure and an environment where they can build up trust in adults." To qualify as foster parents, individuals must complete a 10-week preparation course designed to show how to meet the special needs of foster children. "We don't want anybody to go into this without knowing what they're getting into," Schindler said. "These are not healthy, happy kids. They're coming to us as the result of a very traumatic experience." Schindler noted that foster children aren't coming from ideal situations, so they come with a different variety of problems than others. But DFCS helps foster parents along, providing support such as counseling and arranging medical treatment when needed, Davis said. "It's very much a partnership effort," Schindler said. To qualify as foster parents, applicants must undergo a criminal background check and a financial background check, Schindler said. DFCS also checks applicants' references and health background in addition to conducting a home visit before placing foster children. Foster parents must also be prepared to handle children of any age from birth to 18 years, Schindler said. "We definitely have a need for children of all ages, backgrounds and races," Schindler said. Foster parents also get the first shot at permanently adopting their foster children if the court decides the children should be adopted, which generally occurs after the child's parents fail to meet guidelines established by the court within 15 months. For information phone Schindler at 770-460-2567.
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