Frequently Asked Questions

1.      Talk with the foster child regarding feeling about missing parents, help child with grief about separation from parent. However, do not pressure or force the child to talk. Respect the child’s feeling for privacy.

2.      Provide progress reports about foster child to parents through letters, sharing school papers and pictures, etc.

3.      Help foster child with gifts and cards for parents on special days.

4.      Encourage parental participated in decision making by providing information about child to Social Worker, requesting parental opinions and feedback through the Social Worker.

5.      Prepare foster child for visits. Encourage child’s open expression of feeling about visits and provide transportation to visits when necessary.

6.      Seek information about child from birth parent Social Worker.

7.      Allow foster child to spend special days with parents when requested only if approved by County and FFA Social Worker.

8.      Refrain from demeaning foster child’s parent to the child or to others.

9.      Cooperating in plans for the foster child. If you disagree with plans, share your ideas/feelings with the Social Worker, NOT the child.

10. Respect the confidential nature of all information about the foster child and their family.

11. Allow and/or encourage post-placement involvement such as the exchange of cards, letters, sharing pictures, etc., between foster child and natural family.

12. Allow and/or encourage phone calls between foster child an birth parents only if approved by County and FFA Social Worker.

13. Do not give your phone number or address to birth parents. We strongly suggest that before placement you call the phone company and list your phone number and address as “unlisted.”

14. Transport foster children to visit were limited birth parents contact may occur, such as a visit that may occur in an agency.

15. Discuss decision to be made about the foster care child with parents on the phone or in person.

16. Invite birth parents to attend activities such as school conference and functions. Or invite the birth parents to accompany you in taking the foster child to a doctor’s appointment.

17. Coordinate visitation arrangements.

18. Assist birth parents in their development of parenting skills through teaching and modeling. Remember, as a foster parent you serve as a “role model” for the parents in the contact you have with them.

19. Transport foster child to visit in birth families home when approved by the County and FFA Social Worker.

20. WHEN IN DOUBT APPROPRIATENESS OF CONTACT WITH BIRTH PARENTS, PELASE CALL THE FFA SOCIAL WORKER.

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