Monthly Archives: May 2017

For most, becoming a foster parent is a rewarding experience, but becoming approved to house foster children in the first place can be a long and arduous process. It is no secret that there are many income and background verifications that must take place. In addition to verifying your ability to properly support foster children, both emotionally and financially, your local agency will also require you to fulfill certain requirements in and around your home. Around the House Foster care agencies are tasked with finding safe and appropriate home environments [...]

Few skills are as important as emotional intelligence. It’s been shown to be a major factor in an individual’s ability to achieve success. Studies have shown that people with average IQs and high emotional intelligence outperform those with high IQs up to 70 percent of the time. They’ve also shown that those with high emotional intelligence tended to make an average of $29,000 more per year than those with low emotional intelligence! As a foster care parent, you have the opportunity to help at-risk children develop this very valuable skill. [...]

Each year, 26,000 American youth “age out” of the foster care system. In the past, these children lost everything including their homes, healthcare, financial assistance, and contact with social workers. This occurs after they may have already been abandoned, neglected, abused, and spent their lives cycling through foster homes. They are less likely to form strong bonds and may not have the same access to family support as biological children when they turn 18. Fortunately, federal guidelines have been put into place that require states to assist these youth with [...]