Who are foster care workers? Can a person just be a foster worker for a baby and not a teenager?
The correct wording is “parents” not “workers”. They are families who have consented to accept children in their homes for temporary periods of time. Children come into foster care by way of the Family Court, and the Department of Social Services.
When a child is in imminent danger of abuse or neglect the Department of Social Services may remove the child from the unhealthy environment and place them into foster care. This can be done with the consent of the natural parents, or if the child is in danger without their consent.
Once a child is placed in foster care, Family Court is notified and a legal oversight proceeding is commenced. Sometimes a child is removed due to abuse or neglect, sometimes they are removed because they are being” impossible” towards their natural parents, disobeying the parents and the law.
Foster care families are certified by the State of New York and monitored either by the Department of Social Services, or the Division for Youth. Either agency can certify a family. The certification includes criminal background checks as well as a review of the New York State Central Registry to see if the parties have had a history of child abuse or neglect. Though you need not be a couple to apply as a foster family, it is much easier. One of the reasons that foster care is chosen for children is because there is one adult at home most of the time to supervise the children.
Foster parents do get reimbursed for the services they perform. This is for the purchase of food, expense of housing etc. needed by the foster child. Generally children are not maintained in foster care for extended periods of time. The reason is that the Departments are obligated to either re-unite the families or go forward in freeing the child for adoption.
Who are these folks? Some are actually relatives of the child, or may belong to the same religious group as the natural parents. Many choose to become foster parents out of the love of taking care of children. Many foster parents will have several children visit their home during their life-time, and consider all of these children as “their kids”. Look around, there are many foster parents right around where you live, but always more are needed. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, just contact your local Department of Social Services. If you become a foster parent you will be assigned a direct contact with the Department, someone to answer questions, and assist you with all the requirements to be a foster parent.
As far as limiting the age of the children. Yes, you can request to only have foster children of a certain age (infants are sometimes hard to find foster homes for because they require so much care). That is something that you would speak with your assigned worker.
As always this is a general answer to a general question. Each legal issue may contain other factors that need to be discussed with your own attorney.
If you have a question for Attorney Kukuvka, please mail them to her at 330 E. Main St, Palmyra, NY 14522 or e-mail to cklaw@verizon.net.