If your heart is telling you to help the children who don’t have suitable homes in which to live, but you aren’t ready to adopt, you may want to look into providing foster care in Phoenix AZ. If you aren’t familiar with what foster care is and how it works in contrast to adoption, you may not understand its importance. Learning the differences can help you decide if foster care is the right choice for your family.
Length of Time
In most cases, foster children are only with a family for a limited amount of time. This means you could have a child in your care for as little as a day or as long as several years. It all depends on the reasons why the child was removed from his home and how long it takes the agency to find permanent placement for him. Some of these children are removed from their own homes and are later returned after an investigation is completed. Others go on to be adopted by other families or even their foster families. It is important to look at foster care as a temporary placement.
Decision Making
Unlike adoption, you won’t be able to make all the major decisions for a child in foster care in Phoenix, AZ. This means the foster care agency will dictate where the child goes to school, who the child’s doctor is and whether he should undergo medical procedures if it is necessary. While the day-to-day care of the child is in your hands, he is not considered your child. The agency will have the control in these situations.
Emotional Connections
Most of the children who are in the foster care system often suffer from emotional issues because of the problems they have experienced that resulted in their removal. This is why it is important for those who choose to be foster parents to be emotionally strong and go to counseling on a regular basis. It can sometimes be challenging to take care of these children to whom you have no emotional connection, but it is also a rewarding experiencing, knowing you can make a difference in a child’s life.
Getting involved in foster care in Phoenix AZ, is quite different than adopting a child, but it is just as important. In general, the main difference is you never know how long you will have the child in your care. You will also not be able to make major decisions without consulting the agency and will need to deal with children who have difficulties making emotional connections. However, if you are truly dedicated, you can really make a difference.
To learn more about the differences between adoption and foster care in Phoenix, AZ, visit the A Place to Call Home website or call 1-480-456-0549.
