Why is it Taking So Long for a Placement?

I know of foster parents that have chosen to wait for a young girl under the age of 5 years old, white, no siblings, no real issues to speak of, no developmentally delays, etc. Understand that when you choose a certain gender and a small window of age range, this can limit your possibilities greatly. A large majority of foster children coming into care come from a sibling group which will also impact your placements. If possible, you may consider a sibling group of two which can open your range of placements.

To hear someone say that they do not want a foster child with no real issues is something that really bugs me. What child is not going to have some type of issue when she is neglected, abused, and removed from whatever semblance of a family she had? I totally realize that some foster children have major issues compared to others that have a few issues and get why someone would want to think carefully before taking a child with major issues. There are no perfect children (birth included and other wise). You need to also take into account that some foster children (not all) can work through or manage their issues and go on to be a normal great kid.

Once again what child is not going to have some developmental delays when they are removed from a situation where her biological parents were unable to care for her? There are different degrees of developmental delays so, to say that you would not take any without knowing the details are a disservice to all involved. A lot of foster children are delayed when they come into foster care but quickly catch up when someone helps them and gets involved with them. Some children will need the additional help through school to be successful but that does not mean that they are severely damaged.

This foster parent may not be viewed as easy to work with by Child Welfare because it may appear that the foster parents are working for a certain child. Foster care is about helping a child in need, not finding a certain child that meets your need of a somewhat terrific child. This can make a foster parent seem that they are not fostering for the right reasons which can lead to Child Welfare not wanting to place children with you.

More reading:

One Solution Cannot Be The Only Answer For All Foster Children

How Often Do Foster Children Come Back Into Care?

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