If you have been a foster parent for a few years then you may have noticed that there is a lot of turnover in foster care workers. I understand why, but it doesn’t make it any easier on the children, the foster parents, or the families. Foster care is an incredibly stressful job that really doesn’t pay all that well. I have seen help wanted advertisements for foster care workers, requiring a master’s degree, offering less money than a nurse or an accountant would make with an associate degree. What could possibly be more stressful than knowing a child’s... more

The entire foster care system including the caseworkers is struggling to deal with the problems that foster care is facing. I had my fair share of run-ins with caseworkers but I also realize they are also fighting the same system that I am just at a different level.

One caseworker has 60 children on her caseload to oversee. Caseworkers are stretched way too thin. Most of these children are not basic care. The monthly visits alone is too much for one person to deal with. The travel distance to see each foster child can be 1 to 2 hour drive for them. Just trying to keep up with the basic paperwork on these foster children must be overwhelming. Some spend two or more hours at home... more

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I have had my fair share of weird caseworkers, ones that try to get involved in everything in your home, ones that we did not agree with on what was best for the child and for the large part we have pretty good caseworkers. I think it just boils down to the caseworker also do not know how to interact with every foster parent. Think about it, sadly not all foster parents have the child’s best interest at heart and want to get fully involved. So, in the beginning I think they are seeing what you are like. Their case over load can make things difficult for them.

I had a lot to learn dealing with caseworkers. My biggest problem was that I like to have control... more

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Several months later I was at a bio visit with the above caseworker and case aide, we started talking (since bio’s were late) and we ended up talking for two hours. The caseworker stated that it is a change working with a foster parent like me. I asked, “What do you mean?” He explained that with me he did not have to worry about the child. When I was asked to do something or take care of things, I did. He felt that I truly wanted what was best for the child. Then he said, “You are an easy foster parent, in a good way.”

After talking with them I realized that everyone gets involved in foster parenting to different degrees. I personally do what I normally... more

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The poor guy had the look of a deer in headlights, he started stammerring about how he did not know anything about babies. Him - I do not know what to do with her? Me - Hold her until they get here? Him - I do not know how to hold her. What if she starts crying or needs to be changed? Me - Holding her is the easy part. If she starts crying, walk with her or talk to her. I have just changed her and she will be fine until I get back. I take it your have had infant placements before? Him - I have worked with older children and feel more comfortable with the children in juvenile detention centers than this. Are you sure you cannot... more

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I had only one caseworker that I had major issues with, to the point what ever I said she seemed to feel or say the opposite. I foster care through a private agency, so I had my caseworker at that agency to deal with her. The caseworker would tell me something like there was a hold up with the child’s medicaid and then would say she did not know what I was talking about. To deal with this I started corresponding by email which was great because she then put things in writing. Then if things were questioned I would forward the emails to my caseworker at my agency. Granted this is not the best working relationship to help the child but in some cases it may not be... more

I had a question asked about the social workers or caseworkers being difficult or a pain in the keester. I do not believe they are any more difficult to deal with than school personnel, doctors, therapists, bio parents, and all the other people that will be involved with your foster children.

The funny thing about caseworkers for our family is that they seem to be everywhere. My oldest daughter’s friends mother is a caseworker and our Girl Scout troop leader is a caseworker. My friends asked, “Doesn’t it bother you to be surrounded by caseworkers with foster care and then in your family life? Doesn’t it feel like you are always being watched?” First, I am not doing anything to... more