At times you will feel that you have a revolving door at your home and you feel that there is a caseworker lurking around your house. This can be very difficult for your family but it is part of foster parenting. My huge problem is that when the CPS caseworker does visit the child it will be the last day of the month and they may give you a few hours notice. This for me is difficult, I never seem to be home for many long periods of time (with each additional child this is a little harder).

I had a CPS caseworker call me October 31 and wanted to do a visit that afternoon (this was the first time to deal with this particular caseworker). I did explain that it was Halloween, which meant with children it would be a crazy day with school parties, a few Halloween errands, and getting the children dressed up. He was a little upset since it was the last of the month and she was not visited for the last couple of months. He did not want to come the following day, since it was the next month and we are a two hour drive for him, he wanted to schedule a few more visits up this way. Seeing this, he has always done his visits in the middle or the beginning of the month. Which works out better for me than waiting to the last day.

Most times the CPS caseworker will try to work around your schedule and occasionally you will need to be flexible in changing some appointments around for them if possible. You may have to explain that you have a busy, structured environment that your children need. Mainly that when changing therapy appointments, activities, nap time, etc. can really throw some children off. This causes anger, emotional issues, violence, just all around problems that effect the entire house. If you are at an activity, appointment, out having lunch, etc., the caseworker may want to come to you. I have met them at restaurants, family’s houses, doctor appointments, fall festival, soccer games, etc.

“I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime.”
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross