Prospective Resource Parents

Touch a life...be a resource parent
Opening your home to a child in need is one of the greatest acts of kindness imaginable. Many Pinebrook resource (foster) families tell us that helping a child turn his or her life around is one of the most fulfilling things they have ever done.

For almost 30 years, Pinebrook has provided resource foster care services and considers resource parents to be vital members of the treatment team. We also believe that, in order for resource families to be successful, the agency must provide excellent support, training and assistance.

Our goal is to help children reach their full potential in the most stable and permanent situation possible. Almost all children in foster care have some emotional problem; many have been victims of abuse and/or neglect, and all must deal with the trauma of being separated from their families. They are all in need of nurturing, supportive, loving resource parents who will not reject them or give up on them.

Pinebrook's staff and foster families work together to support the child and the child's entire family until they are ready for reunification. While the child is in placement, the foster parents act as mentors to the child's parent(s). The foster parents are a rich resource, obliged to offer support, as well as to share knowledge with the child's parent(s) in an effort to expedite the reunification.

Although most of the children return to their families; some are adopted, and some stay in other planned, permanent foster care programs until they are 18 years old or graduate from high school. Children may remain in care for a few days or for several years, with the average length of stay being about 14 months.

Pinebrook is always in need of stable, caring foster families for children and youth who are unable to live with their own families. Foster parenting is a commitment to the health and welfare of children who are at risk for serious abuse and neglect. It is based on the belief that healthy family living is fundamental for all children to grow and succeed. By opening their hearts and homes to vulnerable children, foster parents help in myriad ways. They...

• Teach children how to behave in age-appropriate, socially responsible ways;
  
• Help children develop healthy, caring relationships with others;
  
• Help children overcome their limitations;
  
• Provide a model of self-control;
  
• Nuture cultural identity;
  
• Understand and nurture the bonds and love that children have for their own families;
  
• Offer a temporary, protective haven for hurting kids; and
  
• Give childhood back to children.

Common questions asked when considering foster parenting:

What are the Qualifications of Foster Parents?
Foster parents must be at least 21 years of age, in good health, and be of good moral character. They must be able to provide a clean, comfortable home environment with a separate bed for each foster child. They must have a working telephone and be willing and able to transport the child to appointments and agency-sponsored activities. Being employed outside the home is acceptable in some circumstances, if alternative child care is available.

Foster parents must attend professional training on an ongoing basis. (Training requirements differ by program.)

Above all, foster parents must care about children and genuinely enjoy helping them develop, mature, and become independent. They must be good role models, have the abiltiy to nurture and accept a child even when his or her behavior is unacceptable, be flexible and tolerant, and enjoy a challenge.

What kinds of Children Are Placed in Foster Care?
Children who are placed in foster care range in age from birth to 18. Some have been placed strictly because of family problems; some because their behavior has become unmanageable; many because both are true. Almost all children in foster care have some emotional problems since all must deal with the trauma brought about by being separated from their families. Many have survived years of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse, and most have endured more than one of these. Many have suffered severe and repeated rejection or neglect. All are in need of a warm, supportive, and loving home environment.

Pinebrook accepts only children who we believe we can help.

Who Chooses the Child for My Home?
In our first few contacts with you, we will talk about the kinds of children with whom we work, and you will help us know which children you feel you are able to help. When we need a home for a child, we will use the information to make an appropriate match. We may also call about other kinds of children when the need for help is grave. You, however, are always the person who ultimately decides whether or not a particular child comes into your home.

What Will I Get from Being a Foster Parent?
The greatest reward you will receive from being a foster parent is the knowledge that you have made a real difference in a child's life. However, all foster parents receive monthly financial reimbursement, depending on the child's service level; if you foster older or more challenging children, the monetary reimbursement is greater. In addition, foster parents receive a monthly stipend for each child for clothing and diapers for infants and toddlers, as well as reimbursement for age-appropriate personal allowance and gas mileage for therapeutic appointments and family visits. Generally, foster parents can receive reimbursments of between $500 and $1,700 a month for one child. All reimbursements to foster parents are currently tax free.

Where Can I Get More Information?
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a resource parent, please contact us and we will set up a meeting to provide you with more information and explain the application process. Please inquire by calling 610-432-3919 or emailing Heidi Hoffer, Coordinator of Home Studies at .