How bad do you want to make/save money??

[tifnglen]

OK I know a lot of you on the board are looking at ways to save and make money. So let me ask you would you go to this extreme??

OK my cousin,who is single with no kids, informed me that she is taking two foster kids. SHe has went through the training and home study and everything. She said she will automatically get food stamps for the girls and have their health care paid for. She also said that she will make about a little over $1000/month for them both. She said she is going to spend about an average of $200/month on them and the rest will cover her rent and utilities. (COLiving is low her and her 2 br 2 ba. apt. is only 485 month in a good neighborhood) Let me say she is so sweet and loves kids. She works at a daycare during the day and loves her job. SHe said that is just not bringing home the bacon.

I know she wont be unfair to the kids but do you think this is an extreme way to make money??

WOuld you do it?

[Thrifty Ray]

I personally do not feel 'making money' is the right reason to go into foster care. That said, it sounds like your cousin also has a love of children- which is extremely important in foster care~ these kids have usually been through ALOT by the time they get into the system.

No one makes big money in foster care...the actual hourly rate once expenses are deducted is very little. Hopefully your cousins motivation is derived more from the community service end, rather than the financial need. These kids need/deserve that.

In any case, there are nowhere near the loving homes/families needed for all of the foster children...and thanks to Meth, the number of children entering the system will continue to grow at astounding rates.

[nanamom]

I have very strong feelings about Foster care and the children "in the system" so forgive me if I am on a soapbox for a moment. I ran a school that had several foster kids enrolled. Some of the families were obviously in it for the money. One young man ended up staying after school with me every day because that was the only way to keep him off of the streets because he was locked out until his foster "mom" got home. He never had lunch money or a lunch. Another was starved if he didn't get good grades or do his homework. On the other hand I had kids in their birth homes that were in similiar or worse situations. i have seen some really good foster homes and some terrible ones. I have seen the same with "birth homes" My DH and I are in the process of getting licensed as an adoptive home and therefore must foster any child (ren) for 6 months prior to completing paperwork. We know why some of the children are looking for a new home and it is scary what has been done to them. We have had to refuse a child because our DS#2 would not be safe in his presence (the child was 3) It is terrible what is out there and if your friend is truely interested in helping these children then wonderful. The money enables some to make foster care their career and I applaud them. If she works in a day care then it sound like she isn't in it just for the money but will use it to enable her to take care of a couple little ones while they wait to get a permanent home. My DH has asked that we foster when our current batch of little ones leave the nest.

[funnyvalentine]

No matter how "sweet" she is, taking in kids as a profit venue is unethical and unfair to the kids. These are people we are talking about, not part time jobs.

[

QUOTE=tifnglen]OK I know a lot of you on the board are looking at ways to save and make money. So let me ask you would you go to this extreme??

OK my cousin,who is single with no kids, informed me that she is taking two foster kids. SHe has went through the training and home study and everything. She said she will automatically get food stamps for the girls and have their health care paid for. She also said that she will make about a little over $1000/month for them both. She said she is going to spend about an average of $200/month on them and the rest will cover her rent and utilities. (COLiving is low her and her 2 br 2 ba. apt. is only 485 month in a good neighborhood) Let me say she is so sweet and loves kids. She works at a daycare during the day and loves her job. SHe said that is just not bringing home the bacon.

I know she wont be unfair to the kids but do you think this is an extreme way to make money??

WOuld you do it?[/quote]

[34saving]

If she provides a loving home to kids that need one, I don't see a problem with it. The $1000 a month is enabling her to provide a good home for the kids -- not get rich. If she's in it purely for financial reasons (which we all hope she isn't) I think she'll soon realize it's not worth it.

[PRICEPLUS]

Money should not the moving force behind becoming a foster parent. We are dealing with "people". Just my .02 cents!

[funnyvalentine]

It is not just that we're dealing with people, we're dealing with little kids who are looking for the security of a "family". I completely believe that a single parent is capapable of creating family, and I believe that should be an avenue for these kids, but the correct motivation needs to be in place.

[katwoman]

Larry King interviewed Judge Judy (a NYC family court judge) and she brought up this very scenario - the popularity of "fostering" to help pay the bills. She also said this problem is rampant in urban areas where costs of living are higher. Not enough oversight to ensure that the kids are well cared for. Basically, the kids lose.

[funnyvalentine]

what happened to the concept of "working"?

Originally Posted by katwoman

Larry King interviewed Judge Judy (a NYC family court judge) and she brought up this very scenario - the popularity of "fostering" to help pay the bills. She also said this problem is rampant in urban areas where costs of living are higher. Not enough oversight to ensure that the kids are well cared for. Basically, the kids lose.

[Tree0164]

This is so sad that it breaks my heart. These children need love and support of a family, not someone who is wants to make money off of them.

Kids can be expensive....

[Savin4disney]

Shame on her! She needs to get a part time job! My niece was living in a car before my sister fostermomed her and later adopted her.

[contrary1]

Having been a foster parent for over 30 years, I'm more than aware of different views on this subject. I'm currently a recruiter for new foster parents in my county & several of us have been discussing just this.........Fostering as added income.

All my kids have always had more than most kids. Primarily because I'm more than frugal. And, as the years went on, I had a network of friends & businesses that assisted with my household and the needs of the kids.

States don't pay really well for basic foster care. You need to be a magician to make the numbers work out at the end of the month. I've NOT been paid sometimes either, and had the state comptroller call me and ask "do you really NEED the money??" Duh.

But, the theraputic foster care payments are large enough, they allow one or both parents to stay home & become paid Professional Parents. Different story entirely. You do get a salary this way and the kids needs are always met . These kids are the ones I've taken for the last couple decades, hard, hard work!!! I couldn't have managed another job with them. The constant calls from schools, extra medical & counseling appointments, there would be no way I could have fit in another thing, let alone a job.

I have seen people try to take advantage of the system and the kids suffer from the shortages. But, few & far between in our state at this point. Caseworkers are hyper dilligent now, too much so in many cases. We're loosing licensed homes quicker than we can get new ones on board. This isn't good for the kids either.

Definately a soap box topic for me...................pushing all my hot buttons at once!

[getforfree]

I don't think, I would be able to adopt someone, unless its my nefew or my younger brother, who is still a child.
We are saving now to get a bigger house. Ours is 2bedroom 1bath, 800 sq feet. Too small. So if I ever want to have more kids I better to have a bigger house. I don't want them to complain, why there is so crowded, or why there is so many of us and not enough of everything. But I would rather have my own baby than adopt.

[shelbylovesmelby]

Originally Posted by Tree0164

This is so sad that it breaks my heart. These children need love and support of a family, not someone who is wants to make money off of them.

Kids can be expensive....

I agree!!!!

The $ is a nice bonus. I don't think this person has thought this through enough to realize she may actually become upside down in her finances. Afterall there would be alot of expense just to make sure they even had the basics. Beds aren't cheap! & 2 of them @ that!

[PrincessPerky]

I gotta ask is she doiung it for the money or using the money as an excuse?

Not everyone thinks fostering is a good idea, many think single people are nuts to want kids...Many think asking for someone elses 'dirty laundry' (and most foster kids come with a laundry list of troubles) is a lousy idea....so is she doing it for the money, or is asking for money more PC than offering to help out?