Category: Foster Care and Adoption

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]“I could never do what you do.”
“I could never have a child in my home and then give them back.”
“I would get too attached.”

If you’re a foster parent, you’ve heard people say these things to you before. If you’re not a resource parent, you’ve maybe thought or said these things yourself.

As a foster parent, sometimes these statements are hard to hear. Not because they come with ill intent, but because they insinuate there’s something different about you – that you don’t get too attached or it’s not too hard to see a child go when they reunite with their biological families, adoptive families, or even other foster families. Here’s the secret though: It. Is. Hard. It’s gut wrenching at times. Here’s the other secret: You could do it, too. It’s not a super power to be able to be a resource family (although, let’s be real, sometimes it feels like it). It’s something anyone can do.

I’ve been doing a lot of processing lately on grief and loss in the foster care world. Bring up a child that has been in my care before, and my heart becomes full of joy and memories – joy they were reunited with family, and beautiful memories of when I could be there when they needed safety. But there is also grief – grief of the relationships that ended, grief of the family that changes, grief of that missing piece. The feeling felt most of all? Gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to give myself to someone who needed it, even if only for a little while.

I was reading a fantastic book called “Reframing Foster Care” in which the author explains how our world changes with foster care, and it can’t, and shouldn’t ever be the same again. Each child leaves footprints on our hearts and home. Whether a child is with your family for four days, four months, or whether they end up staying forever, your world will never feel the same. I can tell you with complete certainty, that is true. My world will never be what it once was, nor should it be.

Here’s a real moment: I had a very short-term placement recently of an infant. I knew it was temporary going into it. I prepared myself. But my goodness, the grief was overpowering when she left. Everything felt different. Everything sounded different. Everything was different.

As it should be, right?

I reflected and reflected and reflected and even thought, “Can I do this again?”. I turned to the book “Reframing Foster Care” again and found a section I will forever be grateful for. Foster care was not about me and my feelings. It was about the child and their feelings. We have to let the fear of losing a child come second to the fear of having a child not feel our love at all. What a gift it was to love this child. What a gift it was to experience joy and memories. What a gift it was to experience that grief, because I am forever changed because of it.

Gratitude. Gratitude for every part of it.

It doesn’t take someone with the ability to turn off their feelings to be a foster parent. It takes someone who is willing to feel them whole heartedly, and know a child feeling our love overpowers everything else.

By Anne Peters, LMFT [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]It’s been a whirlwind few weeks over here! One thing you can be sure of if you ever become a resource parent – life is no longer predictable. Regardless, when a new kiddo enters your home, the support pours in. At least, I hope it does for you, too!

I had a little peanut join our family for a few short days this week for an emergency placement and boy, my support system showed up. Here at LSI, we truly have the best support workers. Within an hour of a new placement arriving, my support worker was arriving with some much-needed supplies. This got me thinking: How can I give back and help other resource families in need? What sort of things would I need or want when I’m caring for a new child or going through a major change? Here’s my list of five simple ways you can lend a hand to a resource family you know!

1. Volunteer to foster care causes – The gift of time is at the top of the list. There are so many wonderful organizations and support groups, both locally and a national level. Consider donating your time! My wonderful sister chose to volunteer her time to a local foster/adoptive support group by calling potential monetary donors. She was so helpful and was able to provide support while still staying within her own home. Check with your local resource closets to see if they are needing certain new/gently used clothing donations. In my area of the state, Kings and Queens Local is a foster care cause near and dear to my heart. They have offered me so much support. Foster the Family is also a national foster care cause that does so much!

2. Run an errand – Check in and see what the foster family needs. Can you drop a child off to school? Grab some coffee? Mow the lawn? My best friend stopped to check in during the first few days of my new placement. First thing she did: started folding laundry. She’s such a gift!

3. Check in – The value of a simple “How are you?” message can’t be measured. As I’ve mentioned on previous blogs, foster parenting can feel isolating. I encourage you to just reach out and check in.

4. Become a respite provider – Now this one is a pretty big commitment, but if you feel compelled to help children in need but do not feel you’re at the point to become a foster/adoptive home, respite may be the perfect option! Respite homes go through the same process as foster/adoptive homes. You take classes, have background checks, and complete home studies. Respite providers are so needed. I have done respite for three different children/sibling groups and have loved it each time. Respite providers support children in foster care at a pre-planned time. Maybe the foster family is going on a three-day vacation and the children are staying home. Maybe the foster parent has to go pick up a family member at the airport and does not want to bring the child in the car that long. Or maybe the foster parent simply needs a moment to rest. Enter here, the hero of the story: the respite provider! Reach out to LSI if you’re interested in learning more.

5. Pray, send good vibes, and channel love – Finally, I encourage you to remember resource families in whatever spiritual rituals you do. If you pray, please consider praying for the children in care, the foster families, biological families, support workers, therapists, DHS workers, and lawyers. It’s a hard process for all involved. Whether you pray, send out positive vibes, or simply channel love from your heart, please consider doing so for those who could really use it.

By Anne Peters, LMFT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Hi, everyone! I am SO excited about today’s blog. Through my first several months of being a resource parent, I have learned how important it is to lean on the supports you have. For me, one of my biggest supports has been my caseworker through LSI Foster Care and Adoption. I’ve actually been blessed with TWO really incredible support workers, as one of them was on leave for a short period of time. Both of these ladies provided me with exactly what I needed – support, understanding, and answers. I feel like the support workers are holding so much information, I don’t know how they do it! They are also the individuals who will contact you with a placement. Remember when I told the story of never forgetting the day I got my first call? That call came from my support worker! My support worker will always hold a special place in my story of being a resource parent. Without further ado, here’s some more information gathered in an interview with Erin Senhen from LSI Foster Care and Adoption.

Q: Thanks so much for agreeing to be our feature this month on the blog! Can you start by telling us about your role at LSI?
A: My name is Erin Senhen I am a foster and adoptive support caseworker for Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Palo Alto, and Kossuth counties.

Q: I can say first-hand just how impactful your work is. What is your favorite part about your work?
A: There are so many things I love about what I do, but I would say seeing a child come into a home and make huge strides with any struggles they may have is amazing to witness. All of that credit goes towards the foster parents. I also love to see successful adoptions take place in my homes.

Q: What is one thing you wish all current resource parents knew?
A: I wish they knew how truly appreciated they are. I know we try and tell you all as often as we can, but no amount of words could truly say how much foster and adoptive parents are appreciated each and every day. Also, that they all know they are doing an amazing job, even on the days when it doesn’t feel like it.

Q: If someone is starting to think about becoming a resource family, what would be something you would want them to consider while making that decision?
A: I would say to definitely attend an orientation so you know how it will affect your family as a whole. It doesn’t just affect your immediate family, it affects beyond that and it is very important to keep that in mind when you consider taking these children who have trauma into your home.

Q: There’s a great need for foster and adoptive homes in our areas. What aged children or what specific groups need a home most right now?
A: Teens. Teens and more teens. We need people willing to give these kids a chance. Don’t let their age scare you. They just want to be loved and showed that someone cares about them.

Q: What would you say to those resource families who think fostering a teen would be too difficult to do?
A: I think people think of a teen and get scared because let’s be honest, those are the hardest years. However, I have seen SO many successful situations of teens going into homes and thriving after they get out of their situation they were previously in.

Q: If someone would like more information about becoming a resource family in western Iowa, how should they reach out?
A: Visit LSIowa.org/foster, submit an inquiry form, and one of our amazing recruiters will reach out![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Hi, all! We’re officially into the fall/winter holiday season, which is my favorite time of year. The joy of experiencing this through a child in foster care makes it even sweeter. For the last several blogs, the topic has come to me in the middle of the night, often right out of a slumber. I wake up and immediately start “writing” the blog in my head. When it happened this week, I had to pause and reflect on how therapeutic this blog has been. It helps me to organize my thoughts and express them in a vulnerable way. Although I’m posting mine on a public platform, I encourage you to reflect and write, too. Get those tangled up thoughts out of your head and onto a piece of paper. It’s really quite fulfilling. Anyways, onto the topic of the day!

Temporary. Webster’s Dictionary defines temporary as “lasting for only a limited period of time. Not permanent.” Foster care is designed to be temporary. The foster placement in your home is temporary. The school meetings and appointments are temporary. The scheduled visits with biological parents are temporary. But the emotions, the connection, the attachment? They feel anything but temporary.

I’ve found being a foster parent produces a lot of polarizing feelings. As we talked about last blog, foster parenting is isolating but also, you’re fully wrapped in supports. Beyond that, you know foster care is likely temporary, but the feelings you hold for the child or children in your care are not. You support fully. You love fully. You pour into them fully. Then, in many cases, they leave. Their belongings leave. The meetings end. The visits end. But the emotions, the connection, the attachment? Those don’t just end.

As I’ve mentioned in my previous blogs, I currently am lucky enough to have a little friend living with me right now. His placement is looking to be longer – months, at least. We have formed a little family all while I continue to support him and his parents as they work to make their family stronger. It’s magical to experience holidays, special events, and general day-to-day life with biological children. No doubt about that. But with a child in foster care? You experience all of the magic knowing it’s likely the only holiday or special event of its kind that you’ll get to be a part of. We just had the most fun Halloween weekend and I found myself wondering if this will be our last Halloween spent together. It’s very possible that it is! Another polarizing feeling comes in. I would be so happy for this kiddo’s family to be healthy and safe to reunite together. On the flip side, the thought that the firsts are also the lasts can be heartbreaking.

So where do we go from here? We relish in the moments we have. We remind ourselves that they are leaving stamps on our heart just as we are for them. We are grateful for the lessons learned. We wrap ourselves in the reason we chose to do this in the first place. I’m revisiting my favorite foster care quote that I’ve found: “I promise you love + family + all that I can give. Even if only for a little while.” It’s temporary.

Even if only for a little while.

By Anne Peters, LMFT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]When I was brainstorming what was on my heart to blog about this week, an image started coming into my head: an image of a web. Now, I’m not a huge fan of spiders so this is a web unrelated to something creepy. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s a web I’ve found myself right in the middle of, weaving connections day by day, and sometimes minute by minute. Let’s call it the Relationship Web of Resource Parenting.

I have found being a foster parent, you often feel two completely different feelings, sometimes at the exact same time – overwhelmed with support but also bogged down by loneliness. Resource parenting can be isolating. It’s an experience not everyone can fully understand or relate to. On the flip side, so many new doors of support have been opened to me. What I’ve found is the importance of using these supports as often as you need.

Here’s a personal example of my own relationship web. At my home, we recently had a really, really, really rough morning. Emotions were high following a visit the day before. This is, of course, not a negative towards bio parents. It’s important to note the heightened emotions can stem from confusion and missing their bio parents, too. I called in my mom and a friend. Once at school drop-off, I sought out the secretary, who then found the principal to help turn the morning around for school. The guidance counselor called to let me know the day was going well. I reached out to my support worker and the DHS worker. I spoke with a friend who works in the field for recommendations for services. This was one tough morning, and I knew I needed my web. I knew it was fair to the kiddo to be supported by his web, too. How I imagine it is the child is at the center of the web, I am on the outside of him along with his bio parents, and the rest of our support web out from there. I am lucky – our web just keeps growing.

In my clinical work, one of my favorite quotes is, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” meaning if we don’t care for ourselves, how can we properly care for those around us? Using our support system and resources are the way we fill our cup. Sometimes it just takes someone else to offer a kind word. Where do you find your support? Over the last several months, I’ve formed so many connections and relationships with people that either have the same desire to care for the kiddos in my home or (imagine that!) just simply want to support me on this journey.

My biggest day-to-day support is, of course, my family and a few great friends. They knock it out of the park. Outside of them, my LSI support worker comes through whenever I need her. She’s fantastic and has helped me navigate this new journey. Other places to look for some support? Your local support group, the child’s DHS worker, the child’s school guidance counselor, teacher, secretary, the child’s daycare provider, people that help you find services, and of course, fellow resource parents. I have formed a couple of connections with other foster parents that I will forever be grateful for.

When we use the supports, we always want to keep in mind confidentiality and honoring the story of the child and family. Using our support system doesn’t mean confiding in them information that they don’t need, but instead accepting their knowledge and comfort as we go through uncharted territory.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”28366″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]If you’re reading this blog and you are not a resource family, here’s my tip to you. Check in with the foster parents you know. Offer to bring a meal (or coffee!). Let them know you’re thinking about them. Foster parenting is the most rewarding thing I’ve done, but it’s not easy. It’s emotional and raw. There are days the pain we are carrying for the children is overwhelming. There are days we support the children through such big emotions stemming from things we don’t even know about. It’s hard. Beautiful, but hard.

It’s all worth it, though. This morning, I heard “I love you so, so, so, so, so much and I will never stop caring about you.”

It’s all worth it. Stay tuned…

By Anne Peters, LMFT [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]If you’ve read my previous blogs, you’ll know I was anxious (both an excited anxious and a nervous anxious) for my first call for a foster placement. Well, that call came. I feel like that is one of those moments I will always remember where I was and the conversations that followed. This was the moment I had been waiting for; I’m officially a foster parent.

I drove to pick up two little girls who would soon be living in my home. There is so much preparation that goes into becoming a resource family, but nothing actually prepares you fully for that first placement. While protecting these two girls and their family, I won’t share how they ended up in my care, but it was a fast removal and the girls came simply with the clothes on their backs and a few things they had gotten while at the DHS office. I remember calling my support system and asking each of them to run and grab something while I drove to grab the girls. Diapers, pajamas, a change of clothes, and kid-friendly groceries were on my list. I was on my way to get the most important thing: the girls.

The girls were only with me for two short weeks before they were placed with a family member. I knew this was a possibility, and I hoped for whatever outcome would be best for their family. But boy, I learned just how quickly you can grow attached to a child and how love just flows, no matter how long that relationship is. I ended up finding so much peace in a quote I found: “I promise you love + family + all that I can give. Even if only for a little while.” That quote brought me so much comfort knowing that even though my time with the girls is short, I promise to give them all that I can, even if only for a little while.

Something else that was so helpful was a beautiful story that was shared with me about a starfish, which you can read below.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”no-padding”][vc_column padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”no-padding” width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”28307″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]This story also resonated with me, as I felt I could confidently say at the end of the day, “I made a difference to that one.”

Foster care is unpredictable. Some kids come into our lives for such a short period of time, and some stay for quite a while. What I’ve come to realize is there’s no avoiding getting too attached if you’re doing it right. Getting too attached means you care, you love, you pour into them, even if only for a little while. Even though the goodbyes are hard, I encourage you to get too attached, even if only for a little while.

Then another call came, and I have a new friend in my home who has taught me more than I can express in this blog. This placement is looking to be longer – months rather than weeks. Another new adventure. Another starfish. Another chance to get too attached. Another chance to give him all I can, even if only for a little while. Stay tuned…

By Anne Peters, LMFT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]I am super excited for today’s blog. This is a new series in which I’m going to interview professionals that work closely with us as resource families. Look for new entries in this series every couple of months, and if you have specific requests of people you want to hear from, let us know! For this week, I took the opportunity to interview a colleague of mine, and someone who works closely with children and families involved in the foster care and adoption world. Meet Chelsea Zaragoza, therapist at LSI.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Q: Can you tell the blog readers a little about yourself?
A: I am Chelsea Zaragoza, I am currently a Temporary Licensed Mental Health Counselor with LSI. I have been with LSI for about seven years. I started my journey with LSI Foster Care and Adoption, I renewed the licenses for the foster homes and supported them. I have a seven-year-old daughter and two dogs, a teacup Chihuahua named Rainbow and an Australian shepherd named Bayley.

Q: What is your role here at LSI?
A: I currently provide therapy in school settings, in-office, and through an online platform.

Q: What is your role working with children who are in foster care or who have been adopted?
A: My role now in working with children who are in foster care or who have been adopted is in a therapeutic role. It is interesting, as I am now meeting these kiddos in their journey in a different role.

Q: What is one thing you wish all foster parents knew?
A: That what you are doing matters; you are becoming a positive adult in the lives of these children. However, that may not always be received well by the kiddos because they are not able to show you that at this moment.

Q: How can a child get enrolled in Therapy Services at LSI?
A: By calling 888.457.4692 and talking with our Central Intake Team.

Q: What’s your favorite family activity that you recommend?
A: That’s hard to pick just one. My favorite connection activity is a treasure hunt, where adults give hints to the children and the children hunt for the treasure. There are four categories of questions kids can ask to help find the treasure. Watching families create together is wonderful, and this activity helps foster communication.

Q: What is your favorite coping skill to teach to children?
A: I love to teach deep breathing. Lots of kiddos will see me and say, “I know how to breathe” and they are right, they do. However, when we work on breathing and visualization, the kiddos are really able to connect with their breathing and learn how to use this in everyday situations they may not typically use this coping skill in.

Thank you so much, Chelsea! Anyone else want to try a treasure hunt with their family soon? Sounds so fun. We are lucky to have so many professionals here at LSI that truly care for our children and resource families. If you think you or your child would benefit from Therapy Services, please give our Central Intake Team a call.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]In the last blog post, we dove into the process of getting licensed as a resource parent. It’s a long process! There’s a lot of paperwork, meetings, and self-reflection involved. My instructors shared with me a thought that has stuck. If my child was going to be staying with another family, what would I want them to know? The answer: as much as possible. So I completely respect the amount of work that goes into being a resource parent. For me, each class, training, homework assignment, home visit, etc. brought me closer to the goal of being a resource parent. Then, all of a sudden, everything was done and I found myself doing one thing: waiting!

I can only speak for my experience, but that time period between ending TIPS-MAPP classes and getting the first call was challenging and tested my patience. I had the knowledge and the supplies and my home was ready. I felt myself checking my phone constantly, just waiting for “the call.” It was such a mixed feeling – I would never wish for a child to be in a situation in which they needed to be removed from their home, but I also found myself ready to help.

So how did I handle this feeling? Good talks with great people. Checking in with my support worker. Reminding myself of my mantra through this whole process – “What’s meant to be will be.” Then the moment I found peace in that, the call came.

With this blog, I want to find a balance of sharing my experiences in an honest way while also honoring confidentiality for the kiddos that come into my care and their birth families. I will keep all identifying information out of the blog and will change their names if I mention a specific child.

What was my first call? Respite! If you are unfamiliar with respite, it’s a fantastic option offered to resource families. When a child is in foster care placement, they have a certain number of respite days available in which another foster family takes the kiddos in for a short period of time. This can be utilized if a foster family has a vacation, appointments, or simply could benefit from a short break. This seemed like a fantastic opportunity for me to get a feel for being a resource parent without the long-term commitment (just yet). The best part was that the two boys who came into my home were fantastic. They’ve been back again for another weekend of respite since our first visit, and will forever hold a special place in my heart for being “first” to be welcomed into my home. I learned so much from that first experience, and have since done four different respite placements throughout July. Then, on Aug. 6, came the call for two children who needed a safe place to land after their removal that very day. Without a doubt, I said yes, and that’s where the next chapter begins.

By Anne Peters, LMFT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”padding-one”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Hello and welcome back! Let’s pick up where we left off – what are the next steps when you decide to pursue resource parent licensure? Let me tell you how it goes and what that experience was like for me, working with LSI to obtain my license. LSI Foster Care and Adoption recruits, licenses, and supports families in 30 western Iowa counties, and Four Oaks covers the remaining counties of Iowa.

1. Attend information session – First up was the information session, or family orientation. I actually attended two of these about a year apart from one another. (That’s a story for another day, but shows how long I’ve had this journey on my heart). My first information session was in-person in my community, and my second information session was via Zoom due to COVID. This session is mandatory in the process. These sessions are listed on the LSI Foster Care and Adoption training calendar. During this session, you can expect to learn about what children who are entering foster care have experienced, what your role as a resource parent will look like, and the process to get licensed, and you have the opportunity to ask questions. This was the day that everything started to feel more real.

2. Paperwork – Next up, paperwork on paperwork. No, it’s not really too bad, but you certainly will fill out your fair share of paperwork during this process (and rightfully so – a lot of self-reflection is done, as well as making sure the potential resource parents are safe and able to care for these kiddos). You will fill out the initial application and get fingerprinted so the LSI staff can check records. I went to my local police station and got fingerprinted. It’s quite easy and they were very friendly! Then, you submit your paperwork and send in your fingerprints, and wait to be approved.

3. TIPS-MAPP – Once you get the all clear, you’re ready to register for a TIPS-MAPP course! TIPS-MAPP stands for Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence: Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting. TIPS-MAPP is a 10-week, in-person class. Each class is three hours long, so you end up putting 30 hours into the class alone, plus additional trainings and homework. LSI works to place these TIPS-MAPP classes in centralized areas for the participants. As we know, rural Iowa is pretty spread out, so most have to travel. My TIPS-MAPP class was in Emmetsburg, which was about a 20 to 25-minute drive for me. Totally doable. I completely lucked out with my TIPS-MAPP instructors. Now, I have no doubt LSI seeks the best instructors for every class, but I felt like I hit the jackpot. Both of the instructors were foster parents themselves, so they were able to teach the specific curriculum while also sharing real life experiences. Each week, homework (or “roadwork,” as they call it) was assigned. Much of what was assigned for homework was a lot of self-reflection activities to help us decide first if foster care/adoption is right for us and our families, but then also to narrow down what we feel most comfortable with in regards to age, gender, etc. There was also lots of trauma-informed information weaved throughout the course, which, as a therapist, I was a huge fan of. My class started with about 12 prospective resource parents/couples. Throughout the 10 weeks, sometimes prospective resource parents would not return and decided now was not the best time for their family for this journey, and I so respect that. One of the main takeaways from the TIPS-MAPP course is how important it is to know your family. I could go on and on about what was all discussed and learned during this class, but know that some weeks feel difficult on your heart, and some weeks feel so reassuring. I valued those 10 weeks so much.

4. Trainings – During the 10 weeks of TIPS-MAPP, you are required to complete several other additional trainings. Some of these are done virtually on your own, and some will need to be scheduled outside of class time. Reasonable and Prudent Parenting, Universal Precautions, Mandatory Reporting, and Medication Management are all offered virtually. CPR/First Aid is a training that needs to be done in person. LSI helps coordinate this class for you.

5. Profiles – The profiles also are a part of the TIPS-MAPP 10 weeks that you complete on your own. These are a tool to provide a detailed written description of yourself, in your own words. They are structured to help you focus on specific areas important to your fostering and/or adoption decision. Your licensing specialist (we’ll get to that soon!) will also use this to assess your strengths and needs.

6. Home Study – You first meet your licensing worker around three or four weeks into the TIPS-MAPP class. They estimate the home study process lasts about 100 days. I had a wonderful licensing worker who made me feel so at ease. This was probably one of the areas I felt most anxious about, as I really didn’t know what to expect. It was much more relaxed than I imagined! Your licensing worker will come to your home three times – once around three or four weeks into TIPS-MAPP, once around six or seven weeks in, and once shortly after TIPS-MAPP classes are finished. You will be given a list of all things they will be looking for – outlet covers, fire extinguisher, smoke/CO2 alarms, etc. They will also get to know you and understand your strengths and needs. They will review the references you submit (four are required right off the bat, with one being family). Then, they compile all information they’ve collected, and type up the official report. This is the report that gets sent to DHS to approval.

Then you wait! DHS takes about 30 days to approve or deny your application. In my opinion, it felt like a long 30 days. After all of the classes, training, paperwork, homework, and home visits, I was beyond ready. I felt like I was as prepared as I could be to tackle my journey of becoming a foster parent. Then, a few days before July hit, I got my license in the mail. I was a licensed foster parent as of July 1. I had my orientation (this time) on Feb. 9, so my process from start to finish was just about five months long. It’s a time commitment full of self-reflection and education, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s just getting started. July 1 started a brand-new chapter, and it’s already off to a great start. Stay tuned.

By Anne Peters, LMFT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]