Resources for Foster Parents and Kinship Families

In foster care we call that respite. Being a foster parent is a rewarding experience. You get the privilege of walking alongside a child in their time of need. However, it can also be challenging. There may be times when you need to take some time to attend to your family’s needs, travel out of town for work, or even just get a couple of good nights of sleep. That is okay!  

Self-care is an important part of serving others. Respite is when your Case Manager arranges for another foster family to care for your foster child so that you can take care of your needs. Simply call your Case Manager and let them know that respite is needed. Your Case Manager will work with the placement coordinator to find respite. Respite works well when two or three foster families exchange respite. The kids and parents get to know one another creating a natural support system. If you are interested in starting with respite, just let us know!

Relationships between staff and foster parents are a crucial piece in our ability to care for children. When our relationships are strained, so is our ability to help children improve outcomes for success. We have made some significant changes in DHW culture to prioritize healthy relationships with our foster parents. A new Grievance Process has been developed to help you navigate what to do if you feel there is a grievance you are unable to work through with your Case Manager, Licensor, or other staff member.

As valued members of the team, DHW recognizes that foster parents need to be equipped well to perform the role they assume. As a foster family, you have rights. All foster parents have the right to:  

1. Be treated with dignity, respect, trust, value, and consideration as members of the professional team caring for foster children.
    
2. Be supported by the department in their valued role as the primary provider of foster care.  
   Timely, accurate, and respectful communication with department staff.
    
3. Be actively involved in the case planning for children in their care.
     

4. Raise concerns without fear of reprisal and have issues addressed in a sensitive, respectful, timely and confidential manner.    

   (DHW Foster Parent Bill of Rights)

Grief and loss in fostering is a real thing. Transitioning a child home is something that you can prepare for and desire in your heart, but it still hurts. It is likely that at some point you will experience grief and loss when a foster child you love leaves your home. Grief is a natural response to loss. It is an emotional response when a loved one is taken away.  
Grief is a process, not a list of steps that you can complete and get “over it”. There will be good days and there will be hard days. The important part is to keep moving through it and not to get stuck in the grief. You don’t want to set up camp there and live in the grief. Talking with others can help to process those feelings. Your licensing worker can recommend trainings that will help you in this process. Join a support group and share with others who have also experienced loss of a foster child. Learn how to recognize when you are stuck and need help.

Here are some ways to take care of yourself:
*Surround yourself with supportive people.  
* Take care of your physical health-eat, sleep, and exercise. 
* Keep a close watch over your children to help them address their feelings of grief. 
* Face your feelings instead of suppressing them.  
* Expect and prepare for grief triggers like anniversaries, birthdays, or special memories that will be tender.  
* Have a plan for where to get support if you are not getting better.

Finding Your Way Through Grief and Loss as Foster Parents - America's Kids Belong (americaskidsbelong.org)

Fostering is hard and the department recognizes that sometimes the best resource is another foster parent who has been there too. The department contracts with community partners to provide Resource Peer Mentors (RPMs). RPMs are foster parents who have been serving children and families for some time now and have gained experience navigating the child welfare system. RPMs check in on families to see how things are going with their placement and offer support when requested. They can suggest trainings that would help your family in managing behaviors that arise because of trauma in a child’s life, connect you to resources or donations in your community, and provide emotional support by being someone who understands what you are going through. You can request that your RPM joins you in the grievance process. They also connect you with other families that are also in the process of becoming licensed or are fostering.

Foster the Family is in 35 US states, Canada, and Honduras. Monthly, in-person meetings provide regular opportunities for connection and community. Groups are peer-led by caring and experienced foster/adoptive/kinship moms. Meetings center around guided, small group discussion and mutual support. Each meeting includes a video training on relevant topics from a variety of voices- experts in foster care and trauma; other foster, kinship & adoptive moms, former foster youth, and birth mothers. Leave feeling equipped, connected, and supported as you love and care for the children in your home! 

Please visit Foster The Family for more information. Currently there is only one group in Idaho, located in the Boise. To get involved, email Lindsey or Becca at FosterthefamilyTV@gmail.com.  
If you are interested in starting a group in your area, please fill out the interest form: SG Leader Interest Form (jotform.com)

When children come into care many people wrap around them to provide different supports. Your child may be appointed a CASA or GAL. But what is that? A CASA is a Court Appointed Special Advocate. CASAs/GAL is a Guardian ad Litem. GALs have the rights and powers to fulfill the duties set forth in Idaho Code, which continue throughout the child’s foster care case. GALs can file pleadings or motions in court on behalf of the best interest of the child. GALs are notified of any legal proceedings and have full access to records concerning the child (medical, school, therapy, police, and department of health and welfare. Therefore, they get a well-rounded view of the child’s best interests and can advocate for the child. For more information see https://www.casaofswidaho.org/.

Why Is Water Safety So Important?

It only takes a moment. A child or weak swimmer can drown in the time it takes to reply to a text, check a fishing line or apply sunscreen. Death and injury from drownings happen every day in home pools and hot tubs, at the beach or in oceans, lakes, rivers and streams, bathtubs, and even buckets. Learn more about keeping kids in your care safe.  

Take these sensible precautions when you’re around water (even if you’re not planning to swim):

• Know your limitations, including physical fitness, medical conditions.
• Never swim alone; swim with lifeguards and/or water watchers present.
• Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket appropriate for your weight and size and the water activity. Always wear a life jacket while boating, regardless of swimming skill.
• Swim sober.
• Understand the dangers of hyperventilation and hypoxic blackout.
• Know how to call for help.
• Understand and adjust for the unique risks of the water environment you are in, such as: River currents, ocean rip currents, water temperature, shallow or unclear water, underwater hazards, such as vegetation and animals.
   

Swimming Skills

Learn how to perform these 5 skills in every type of water environment that you may encounter (such as in home pools, oceans, lakes, rivers and streams):

• Enter water that’s over your head, then return to the surface.
• Float or tread water for at least 1 minute.
• Turn over and turn around in the water.
• Swim at least 25 yards.
• Exit the water.

Helping Others

These actions will help your family avoid emergencies – and help you respond if an emergency occurs:  

• Paying close attention to children or weak swimmers you are supervising in or near water.
• Knowing the signs that someone is drowning.
• Knowing ways to safely assist a drowning person, such as “reach or throw, don’t go”.
• Knowing CPR and first aid.  

Resources: 

• Red Cross 
• CDC 
• Pool Safety 

Youth 14 and up are eligible for some amazing opportunities to help them prepare for adulthood. Many of our community partners provide services to help youth learn skills they will need, like cooking, financial management, mentoring, relationship building, job preparation, and so much more. Check out some of our partners!

• Casey Family - Idaho Field Office - Casey Family Programs,
• Freedom Youth - https://freedom-youth.org/ 
• RISE - RISE Services, Inc. | Developmental Disability Services in Idaho (riseservicesincid.org). 
• Inspire Idaho - https://inspireid.org/ 

Finding the right car seat could save your child’s life. Would you believe that 325 children under 5 are saved by car seats in one year? Read here about how to choose between a rear-facing car seat, forward-facing car seat, booster seat, or seat belt. It’s not as easy as looking up a chart with ages. Look here for more information. https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats 

Here you will find all the rules about what it takes to be a foster family. If you have questions about how many kids you can take in, who can share bedrooms, what to do with your medications, or if your 18-year-old needs a background check, it’s all in here. The more you know the better you can protect children in your home as well as your family. Take some time to familiarize yourself with all things IDAP. IDAPA 16.06.02 IDAPA 16 - Department of Health and Welfare.book (idaho.gov) 

Yes! Youth do have rights even in foster care. Working with professionals in the child welfare world can be intimidating, and being away from family can be scary, but youth are a valued member of the team too. Please read the Youth Bill of Rights and help advocate for the rights of youth placed in your home. Youth Bill of Rights.

Remember that foster care reimbursements rates are NOT a payment for services. Foster parents are expected to be financially secure without the reimbursement. It is intended to reimburse you for your expenses in caring for your foster child.  

The monthly reimbursement can be directly deposited to your checking or savings account by submitting a voided check and direct deposit form to your licensing worker. Foster parents are required to complete a Form W-9 verifying the payee’s social security number. 
Respite care:  
Respite care rates are determined based on the number of days provided divided by the monthly reimbursement rate as listed below. Keep dates of respite, first and last name of child and worker’s name when doing a respite care placement.  
Regular Foster Care:  
 

Regular Foster Care Rate

Regular foster care payments are made to foster parents who provide care for a child who without identified exceptional needs. 

Treatment foster care payments are made to foster parents who provide care for a child who has been diagnosed with Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED). Treatment foster care parents are licensed and supported by contracted private agencies. For more information, see "Treatment Foster Care" 

Respite Foster Care Rate

Respite care payments are made to licensed foster parents who provide short term relief for other foster parents while they care for their personal needs. Respite care is reimbursed at a daily rate calculated by the age of the child and the number of days that respite was provided.

Specialized Care Rate

Specialized foster care payments are made for a child who requires additional care above room, board, daily supervision, and incidental costs. These payments are in addition to the regular foster care reimbursement rate.

 
Gifts: 
An additional thirty dollars ($30) for Christmas gifts and twenty dollars ($20) for birthday gifts will be paid in the appropriate months. 

Before purchasing additional items for reimbursement, reach out to your Case Manager to ensure the items are approved under your child’s case plan. Vouchers are often the preferred method for purchasing items.  

Child and Family Services (CFS) works to ensure every foster child’s needs are met. CFS caseworkers assess a child’s needs at initial placement and ongoing. Each child’s needs are different, so the way to meet the need will vary. If you see a need, contact the child’s caseworker. The caseworker will determine how to best meet the child’s need in order of the following:

1. Are the child’s parents able to meet the need?
2. Are there community resources, such as a clothing exchange, to meet the need?
3. Is a voucher necessary to purchase items to meet the need? A caseworker can issue one of two types of vouchers depending on your circumstances and the need of the child:

You may be issued a voucher to meet a child’s need for the following items: 

• Clothing or other items for personal care such as toiletries and personal necessities.
• Diapers and/or wipes or formula for an infant.
• School books, school supplies, tuition, or school fees.
• Gasoline for extraordinary transportation needs.
• Other goods or services, as deemed necessary.  

*It is important you only purchase items approved by the child’s caseworker. For example, do not purchase make-up or jewelry with a voucher for clothing.

*Do not make out of pocket purchases without prior approval from the child’s caseworker. Once approved, you must provide a receipt to the caseworker for reimbursement.

Please contact the child’s caseworker for any questions you have regarding vouchers.  

The case worker for your child will send a letter to Women Infants and Children (WIC). All children in foster care age 0-5 are eligible to receive the benefits of WIC. Formula will only be subsidized by the department during the initial 30 days while foster parents are initiating a WIC appointment. Any formula costs above and beyond what WIC is willing to provide will be the responsibility of the foster parents as part of the monthly reimbursement. Talk with your worker to obtain a letter to take to your local WIC office (Central District Health).

Yes! All foster children are eligible for free breakfast and lunches at public schools. Eligibility is based on the child’s income, not the foster family’s finances. When signing up your student for school inquire about the application process. Schools send school meal application home at the beginning of each school year. However, you may apply for school meals any time during the school year by applying directly to your school or district. If you need assistance, just ask your case manager.

Kids are always growing and there will be times their clothes no longer fit. Back to school time can be expensive with the added cost of school supplies. There is help! We have several community partners who share a love of foster children and recognize the need to support foster parents. When your foster child needs clothing, school supplies, hygiene items, or diapers, there may be resources provided in your area of the state. Some of those resources are included here but there are many more. There are many churches, non-profits, CASAs or GALs, private owned businesses, and school districts who are looking for ways to support foster children. Make sure you ask your case manager about resources available in your area.  

Freedom Youth Foundation - Treasure Valley https://freedom-youth.org/

Foster & Heart - Boise - https://fosterandheart.org/

The Wardrobe - Meridian - https://www.wardrobetreasurevalley.org/

JemFriends - Boise - https://jemfriends.org/

Stonehill Church - Meridian - https://www.stonehill.church/ 

Silverwood Theme Park provides discounts for your foster child - (silverwoodthemepark.com)
  
Boise Parks and Rec Scholarship - (fy24-kristin-armstrong-youth-scholarship-request-form.pdf (cityofboise.org).