Family Foster Care Questions
How old are the children you serve?
The Family Foster Care program serves children from birth to age 21. While some of the children are younger, a great many are in their teenaged years.
I love children, and want to help them. How can I become a foster parent?
Foster parents must receive an extensive 30-hour training course and be medically examined prior to obtaining their licenses. They must also undergo a background check that includes fingerprinting and a State Central Register clearance. Please contact our Homefinding Department at 917-645-91000 extension 8702 for more details.
Because the program is community-based, Saint Dominic's Home usually licenses traditional foster parents who reside in the Bronx, although exceptions are made in certain cases. Foster parents for our Treatment Family Foster Care program, (link to TFFC web information), may reside in any borough, although they must be open to frequent and intensive contact with our Bronx-based staff.
Foster parents are particularly needed to care for children over the age of ten, sibling groups of three or more children, for young mothers and their infants, and children with emotional problems.
Can I be a foster parent even if I’m a single parent or if I am not currently employed?
Yes. Many of our foster parents are single parents. While we do have many working foster parents, it is only necessary that a foster parent have a documented and consistent form of income.
What are the requirements for my home?
Children in a foster home are required to have a bedroom separate from the foster parent once they are school-aged, and children beyond school age must be separated by gender. Children in foster care may not sleep in the living room or the basement. You may get additional information on requirements by contacting our Homefinding department at 917-645-9100, extension 872.
What do I do if I have problems with a child placed in my home after your office is closed?
Both the Family Foster Care and Treatment Family Foster Care programs have emergency cell phones that are manned by experienced supervisors and administrators. They are on call to handle emergencies 24 hours a day 365 days a year. You will be given the emergency cell phone numbers to call when you become a licensed foster parent
Will I have any input into the planning for children placed in my home?
Absolutely. The foster parents spend a lot more time with the children than the staff. Therefore, your input is critical to any planning we do for the children in our care. The program has Family Team Conferences at least once every three months to be sure that your voice is heard when we discuss the overall planning for the children and families we serve.
What do I do if I think the staff is not providing the best services for the children placed in my home?
We know that this may happen, and we want to hear about it. We encourage anyone who has concerns to speak to the supervisor and to the administrators until they get an answer to their questions. Sometimes, in these situations, it is just a matter of getting all of the parties together and having an open and honest discussion so that we can work together to have a better working relationship between us. |
Family Foster Care
Statistics
People Served:
645
Statistics 2008
(Children & Youth 0-21 years)
Children adopted:
33
Children reunited with family:
118
Children and teens
in foster care:
645
Children and teens
in therapeutic foster care:
38 |
