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Years ago I was involved in foster parenting--I did emergency care. Today I started checking it out again, and we are thinking about doing some respite foster care. The rates have dropped from 17 years ago. I suppose it is due to funding cuts and to discourage those who had the wrong motive --using kids to make money....
But, doing respite foster care ONLY pays $2 an hour. The limit is 24 hours per child per year. So, if I have a kid for 2 hours, I earn $4--the kid could eat more than $4 worth during that 2 hours.....
Keeping an infant by the month you are reimbursed under $300 a month. An older child will generate around the mid $300's a month.
If the foster parents qualify, you "might" also get a formula allowance of $50 per month. A clothing allowance is also out there, but the clothing allowance is once a year only, and if someone else had the child earlier in the year and used the allowance, well, sorry. Clothes are supposed to go with the child, but you know they don't always, and kids to grow.
Kids under 5 will qualify for WIC, so that helps and all foster kids are entitled to a free lunch at school. Most, not all medical procedures are covered and the same with dental work.
But really, can one really raise a child on that? You need to consider, food, utilties (esp if they have a room that might otherwise be shut off and unused as far as heat and AC go) fuel to and from appointments, yearbooks, school pictures, class ring, hair cuts, winter coat, swim suit, sports fees, band fees & uniforms, clothing, letter jackets, diapers, school supplies, shoes, allowance (state encourages an allowance to come out of the money for the child), camp tutions, piano lessons ....
Also, with your own child, you can have hand me downs. With a state child, the items you buy the child are to remain with the child--so, you can't pass down in a rotation as you would with your own children.
I think it really depends on the age of the child. A baby, it would be tough--I can't nurse a foster baby, so there would be formula expense. An older kid--if you want them to experience the normal jr high, high school activities, there will be expense..I think the young elementry years you could do it.
I find it ironic that the same state and same DFS helped to set the rates for child support, which are much much higher. Noramally parents who seek it at the minimum around here get $800 or more per child. Yet, for the same aged child the state pays a foster parent $234.
Am I missing something here?? Its almost more of a volunteer thing.
I would rather see a voucher thing--or a prepaid credit card for each child so that at least the expenses were covered. They say in our area they are hurting--probably because this area is low income and people can't afford to do it--if you can barely make your house payment and feed your own kids, how can one take on more? The state wants to keep foster parents in their own county, but in a low income county such as this...I don't know.
Anyway, we are still thinking it over. I am going into it as knowing we will be paying for the extras ourselves and probably some of the necessities ourselves.
But, doing respite foster care ONLY pays $2 an hour. The limit is 24 hours per child per year. So, if I have a kid for 2 hours, I earn $4--the kid could eat more than $4 worth during that 2 hours.....
Keeping an infant by the month you are reimbursed under $300 a month. An older child will generate around the mid $300's a month.
If the foster parents qualify, you "might" also get a formula allowance of $50 per month. A clothing allowance is also out there, but the clothing allowance is once a year only, and if someone else had the child earlier in the year and used the allowance, well, sorry. Clothes are supposed to go with the child, but you know they don't always, and kids to grow.
Kids under 5 will qualify for WIC, so that helps and all foster kids are entitled to a free lunch at school. Most, not all medical procedures are covered and the same with dental work.
But really, can one really raise a child on that? You need to consider, food, utilties (esp if they have a room that might otherwise be shut off and unused as far as heat and AC go) fuel to and from appointments, yearbooks, school pictures, class ring, hair cuts, winter coat, swim suit, sports fees, band fees & uniforms, clothing, letter jackets, diapers, school supplies, shoes, allowance (state encourages an allowance to come out of the money for the child), camp tutions, piano lessons ....
Also, with your own child, you can have hand me downs. With a state child, the items you buy the child are to remain with the child--so, you can't pass down in a rotation as you would with your own children.
I think it really depends on the age of the child. A baby, it would be tough--I can't nurse a foster baby, so there would be formula expense. An older kid--if you want them to experience the normal jr high, high school activities, there will be expense..I think the young elementry years you could do it.
I find it ironic that the same state and same DFS helped to set the rates for child support, which are much much higher. Noramally parents who seek it at the minimum around here get $800 or more per child. Yet, for the same aged child the state pays a foster parent $234.
Am I missing something here?? Its almost more of a volunteer thing.
I would rather see a voucher thing--or a prepaid credit card for each child so that at least the expenses were covered. They say in our area they are hurting--probably because this area is low income and people can't afford to do it--if you can barely make your house payment and feed your own kids, how can one take on more? The state wants to keep foster parents in their own county, but in a low income county such as this...I don't know.
Anyway, we are still thinking it over. I am going into it as knowing we will be paying for the extras ourselves and probably some of the necessities ourselves.
but God Bless you, it takes a special kind of person to help these children. I hope you're able to swing it despite the low pay.
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