Foster Care Payments

1. 59

   Leaderofmanyposted 13 years ago

   Are  Foster Parents using the payments they receive to benefit the child or they using it to benefit themselves?

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   1. 60

      Hollie Thomasposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I suppose that depends on the foster parents. However, foster children and fostering children in general, can not only be very demanding, but expensive.I doubt that the sums given to foster parents are meant to be transferred entirely to the child, but to assist with feeding, clothing, family oriented activities and even, in some circumstances, to pay for child care. It's not so cut and dried.

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   2. 59

      holconradposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      As the former foster parent of two sons, that I since adopted, I have to say that the payments that I received didn't even begin to cover my expenses. Both of my boys went to private schools, reived the same amount of love and attention as my biological son, and also the same amount of gifts on birthdays, christmas, easter and whenever else gifts were given. They went on vacations with the rest of the family, and participated in all family events. I cannot obviously speak for any other foster parents, but in my case, I did use the money for the good of the children.

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2. 71

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Foster Parents are suppose to use the funds for the benefit of the child. However, this is subjective. There's a lot a child needs and those needs change constantly.

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3. 83

   Marcy Goodfleischposted 13 years ago

   The benefit of the child can also include housing and utilities, not just food and clothes.  If someone has foster children and needs to rent a place with more bedrooms, that could possibly be considered an expense related to foster parenting.

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4. 56

   Dame Scribeposted 13 years ago

   I don't think anybody signing up to be a foster parent - just for the $$$, isn't good for the child.

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5. 77

   starme77posted 13 years ago

   alot do sign up just for the money and alot sign up looking to adopt - the foster care situation for children is not a good one. I was in a foster home - adopted actually - see there are a ton of tax breaks for adoptive parents also. I was one of 13 in the house - at age 14 I was expected to take care of every thing - from babies all the way up to 17 year olds - I had to clean and cook and try to finish high school - by age 17 I moved out on my own - thats when I found out I had a ss check because my Dad - who I also took care of along with the rest of the clan - well he was paralized on the right hand side - when I moved out I had to fight for my money cause the mom tried to keep it - when I grew up I took the foster care course - well I tried - I didnt make it past lunch time - it was totally disgusting - the teacher explained how virtually impossible they made it for the real parents to get the children back and they did it on purpose - well the people in the class looking to adopt and the people in the class looking for money - shit (sorry guys) you could literally tell em apart - we were told to tell the kids if they asked when they were going home that it would be soon even though we knew they most likley never would - I could in no way be a part of that crap - Now I am a foster parent for my ex mother in law - totally different - no one cares for the elderly - I am paid less than minimum wage - there is no money to be made from adoptions - no money to be made by the system - so no one cares and its seriously disgusting - my experience with both elderly and young fostering has turned my stomach on the entire system seriously it has

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      holconradposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      starme77, I am so sorry to hear abour your experiences. I did get into fostering in order to adopt. I was given children that were not expected to be returned to their parents. I was considered a foster parent until the adoption took place. I had to abide by all of the rules that other foster parents had to follow. Getting permission for virtually everything that involved the children. The boys both had supervised parental visitations until the adoptions took place too. One of my sons was emotionally abused, and neglected and the other was physically abused. He had seven broken bones when I brought him home from the hospital at eight weeks old. I got into the system because I was unable to concieve after my first pregnancy and I felt that God wanted me to become a parent in a different manner. I love all three of my boys. They are all very different people and I am proud to be their mother.

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   Andrew Fossposted 12 years ago

   Get real. We've been foster parents for 8 years. And the money is not the reason we do it. The amount given does not even come close to the real cost of parenting and raising them. Given the pricing, you will never get rich. You take in children because you want to take care of children. The money offsets some of the expenses, and that is it.

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   1. 77

      starme77posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      We are pretty damned real - I was sold - and used and all screwed around in the foster care system - so yeah - it happens hey 3,000 bucks back in 71 was alot of money. Believe me I am living proof not all foster parents want to take care of kids

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