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Foster Care Program
| What are the requirements of foster or adoptive parent? |
You are required to be over the age of 21, single or married, complete training & background checks, have a stable income ( either from employment or benefits), a loving home, and giving heart. |
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| How old are foster children? |
| A foster child can range anywhere from birth to age 21. When a foster youth turns 18, he or she has the opportunity to choose to stay in foster care if continuing with some type of education. The foster youth can choose at age 18 to leave foster care. |
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| Why do children come into foster care? |
Children come into foster care for many reasons. Unfortunately, not every child gets the proper care he or she needs. Due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, delinquency, or family death in a child’s home, courts sometimes decide that children must be temporarily separated from families. These children come from all cultural and economic backgrounds and may be from our own neighborhoods and communities. |
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| What help is available to foster parents? |
Training, daycare if the foster parent is working, clothing allotment, and a support system of other foster & adoptive families. |
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| What is the goal of foster care? |
| The goal of foster care is to return the child to the birth parents. Services are provided to the parents through Department of Social Services so that the child can return to the parents. The agency will try to find an appropriate relative for the child to live with if return home is not possible. Adoption is the third goal of foster care, and it is only pursued if return home and placement with relatives is not possible. |
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| How long do children stay in the foster home? |
This varies. Each birth family has goals and responsibilities to work on, and usually foster children remain in the foster home until the birth parents have achieved their goals and safety can be ensured. |
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| Do I have to own a house? |
Foster parents can rent or own their residence. Foster parents can live in an apartment, mobile home, townhouse, duplex, or single family home…as long as the home is safe and secure. Insurance is required for the home. |
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| Are foster parents responsible for medical insurance for the foster child? |
| Children in foster care receive Virginia Medicare. Adoptive parents are often responsible for providing medical insurance to their adopted child, unless the child receives Medicaid. |
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| Can foster parents adopt? |
Foster parents can adopt their foster children if all rights of the biological parents have been terminated by the court. Some parents are called resource parents in that they will foster to adopt a child. If the child cannot go home to their biological family, the foster family will turn into their forever family. |
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| Is there financial support for the foster child? |
| A maintenance payment is paid to foster families for the care of the child. It is not a source of income for foster families. The payment is to be used for clothing, personal care, food, and other daily needs. |
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| To learn more, call Lucy Brizendine at: 540-382-6990 ext. 260 or email lab121@western.dss.state.va.us. |
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| Contact Information |
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Health and Human Services Building
210 South Pepper Street, Suite B
PO Box 789
Christiansburg VA, 24068-0789
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| Phone: | (540) 382-6990 |
| Fax: | (540) 382-6945 |
| lln121@western.dss.state.va.us |
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| Hours: | Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
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