Continuing on with the different types of foster care.

Adult Care - This is for care to adults that cannot live on their own ( mentally retarded). This should be only looked at as a long term placement. This can be a very different placement and is more case by case need to what degree of care would be. It could be a wheelchair bound person that can not in any way care for them self (will needed assistance with dressing, feeding, bathing, and may required changing diapers). It also could be a mentally retarded person that needs supervision with their daily life, you may have to teach them skills (washing dishes, laundry, helping to prepare food, money, etc) and this also could include helping them get a job (you would be transporting them).

I am licensed for therapeutic care (with the agency I work with) includes basic, medically fragile, and adult care. I have been called to do medical for child suffering with severe burns (dressing changes several times a day, lots of doctors visits). I choose not to do this type of care because I have young children, busy household and I would not be able to give the foster child the care they needed. I had a number of basic foster children. I have done some respite for adult care but not as a placement. I do not think this type of care would work for my family. Therapeutic children I had my share of placements. As my agency says (this past week during training) that we have dealt with some of their more difficult children. We have small children and do this kind of care, so it can be done. It can makes things a little difficult and at times things can get very dicey. You may have to come up with safe plans to protect your children. I will go over this in another article. The thing to remember is to work to prevent something before it happens, or know how you plan on dealing with it before it happens.


Take the time, ask questions, before deciding what type of foster care would work best for your family. You are able to help your own children and the children coming into foster care when you know what you are getting into.

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.”
Seneca