Commonly Asked Questions

Q: What does it mean for a child to be in Foster Care?

A: Children may be removed from their home for many reasons, including neglect, abuse or the parent’s inability to care for the child/ren due to addiction, homelessness or other reasons. While we hope every child can reunite with family or a relative, the process can take a long time as caregivers must demonstrate that they can now offer safety, stability and a loving environment.

Foster parents play a vital role, as a bridge, a safe haven, a loving non-judgmental influence that can truly be life-changing to kids enduring trauma and upheaval.

Q: What is treatment Foster Care?

A: Some children exposed to neglect and abuse may experience extreme trauma and “act out” in challenging ways. That’s where we come in. Our experienced staff stand ready to support you and your foster child around the clock and can link your foster child with counseling and other supportive services at St. Vincent Family Center.

Q: Who selects what home the child goes into?

A: We collaborate with you and the local children's services agency on this critical decision. Our team carefully reviews the child’s needs to match kids with foster parents who seem a fit based upon expressed preferences, skills of the foster parents and a host of related factors. We listen to you and exercise our best judgment based upon the unique needs of children in our care. Once we offer your home to the children's services agency, they will make the final placement decision for the best foster family available to meet the individualized needs of the foster child or sibling group.

Q: Will I be financially responsible for the foster child?

A: Yes, however there are supports available to help with this. Foster parents receive a tax-free, twice monthly, pre-determined reimbursement to assist with the foster child’s basic needs. The amount is directly deposited into your account based on the number of days the child is in your care. Regarding health care, all foster care children are on the Medicaid program.

Q: Do I have to meet with the birth parents or family of origin?

A: The children's services agencies will decide at the time of placement any relatives or others the child/ren may have contact with during their stay in foster care, and how frequent this contact should be.

We’re with you every step of the way in finding how best and most responsibly to help this child and their family.

Q: Will the child need to change schools?

A: Change is hard for children and, when possible, foster children may be able to remain in their home school. If this is not in their best interest, they can be enrolled in the school local to the foster home. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis by the children's services agency.