With the new law passed, Safe and Timely Placement of Foster Children of 2006 P.L. 109-239, it is strengthening the place of a foster parent in court. Some states are still in the process of passing legislation to implement these new requirements.

Judges that have been interviewed about foster parents becoming more involved in the court process of the child that are in their care, want to hear from the foster parents. They believe that foster parents can add a great deal of insight where the foster child is concerned. This so allows the judge to get a true sense of the child from someone that loves them. It can also be helpful for a judge to know that a foster parent would be interested in care for the child long term or even adoption.

Foster parents can be a great source of information about the foster child when they first can into care, how they dealt with it, what areas where they delayed in, behaviors, therapies they may need, how they are doing in school, the emotional needs, and so many other areas. The foster parents are the only that have been with these children for every day for months and even years. They have been the ones, to go through everything with these children, from dealing with the abuse or neglect that the child has suffered, getting the child caught up in school or finding them the help they need, working through the emotions of the child and their bio families, and these are just a few things that foster parents help their foster children deal with. Who better to give the court a picture of the foster child, they have dealt with and how it has affected them, than the foster parents.

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“Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.”
Les Brown