Become a foster parent -- it's the toughest job you will ever love
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May 3, 2010
Anyone who thinks foster parents are in it for the money needs to talk to Lori Feeney.
“That’s probably the biggest public misconception about foster parents,” said Feeney, placement program supervisor for Richland County Children Services. “In actuality, foster parents make about $1 per hour. How many people do you know who would do this kind of a tough job for $1 per hour?” 
As the agency saluted its foster parents in May, Feeney said the pool of Richland County foster homes remains steady, but needs constant replenishment.
“We now have about 70 foster homes and that is about consistent with last year. What we find is that once some foster homes adopt a child or children, they no longer have room to continue as a foster home,” she said. (Click here to view a video salute to Richland County Children Services foster parents.)
The need for foster home usage has declined in the last eight years as Richland County Children Services shifted its philosophy and services, now aimed at working to keep children in their own homes while helping the family. When that is not possible, the next step today is to try to locate a suitable family member for placement, such as a grandparent, aunt or uncle. (Click here to learn more about the agency's Kinship Navigator program).
In 2002, RCCSB had about 250 children in its custody, a number that has dramatically declined and has now stabilized.
“We have 42 children in foster homes today,” Feeney said. “This is down from last year at this time when we had about 50 in foster care.”
Adults interested in becoming a licensed foster home must undergo a training process that takes four to six months.
“After the adult(s) contact us and express an interest, they must complete 36 hours of pre-service training, covering such topics as team building, child abuse/neglect and sexual abuse issues, attachment and separation issues, discipline, preventing and descalating crisis and cultural issues,” Feeney said.
Other training focuses on the effects of care-giving on the family, permanency issues and correct foster parent policies and procedures, she said.
Once training is complete, an agency staff member completes a home study, which consists of a number of in-depth home visits and interviews with all members of the prospective foster family, according to Feeney.
For more information on foster care and adoption, please visit our Web pages devoted to the topic by clicking here.
Richland County Children Services honored its foster parents May 22 with an annual dinner.
(Carl Hunnell is the communications supervisor for Richland County Children Services).
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