Success as a Foster Parent: Everything You Need to Know About Foster Care

by National Foster Parent Assoc., Rachel Greene Baldino

Change a child's life!

Reap the rewards of becoming a foster parent.

Over 600,000 American children are in the foster care system each year-and the number is growing. So is the number of good-hearted people willing to become foster parents. But what does it take to become a foster parent? How does one begin? What about your own family? What does it cost?

Success as a Foster Parent has the answers to these basic questions and much more. Written by Rachel Greene Baldino, MSW, in association with the National Foster Parent Association, it is the first and only commercially available book to clearly explain the process of becoming a foster parent. Readers will

*The questions to ask before making the decision to be a foster caregiver
*How to research local state and private agencies
*The financial cost and the compensation
*The challenges involved in caring for children from infants to teens, including physically and psychologically challenged kids
*Issues relating to schools, birth parents, supervisory visits, vacations, and dozens of other factors
*All about adoption
In addition to concrete information, there are dozens of moving stories drawn from interviews with veteran foster parents and tips about caregiving.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Fostering

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I skimmed this.....I learned most of this information from my fostering classes. If we hadn't went through the process already then this would have been an excellent book!

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good "first read" for potential foster parents, but I think it would give experienced foster parents a good laugh. While many of the potential challenges are mentioned, so there is at least some realism to the book, there is a minimization of the reality faced by foster parents and more importantly, the realities faced by the kids in the system.

I liked that there is an emphasis on the foster parent viewing themselves as "professional parents" and that contact with biological families is encouraged whenever possible. I really liked the statement that foster parents must be able to put the needs of foster children above their own and the best motivation is a strong desire to help a child, because the book tells the truth that foster parents do not make money for their work. The payments do not even cover basic housing and clothing needs of the kids.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book for those who are thinking about fostering. I already knew about 80-90% of the material by the time I read this book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to foster care, but don't expect anything revolutionary.

[Danny Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good intro to being a foster parent if a bit simplistic.

[Emelda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great basic springboard to the nuts and bolts of foster care. A great first book, but I do wish the resources were more expanded. There was a definite bare minimum and no more of race, I would have hoped for more.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of practical tips and useful information. Some of it seems a little dated or inaccurate for our region, but overall very helpful.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and easy to read, but very general book. It includes valuable insight from long time foster parents.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great beginning resource book. This book would be great for reports as well as getting the most comprehensive but basic understanding about the whole process from beginning to end.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, if you're considering fostering, it's probably a good book to pick up ...but it wasn't particularly helpful or inspiring. It reads like a text book.

[Ashley Newberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great beginner book to get some initial info as we started the process.