Robin Nixon: At this moment, there are over 500,000 children and youth in foster care. While most will be reunified with their families in a short period of time, many will spend months, or even years in foster care. Whether their time in care is long or short, each of these vulnerable children needs a safe, caring foster family home to ensure their well-being and positive development while they are in foster care.

The National Foster Care Coalition, administered by Connect for Kids, brings together a large group of national organizations committed to raising public awareness, coordinating advocacy efforts and building diverse alliances that strengthen foster care and community supports for children, youth and families. As we celebrate National Foster Care Month, we recognize the ongoing need for caring families to come forward and open their homes and hearts to our nation's children in foster care.

Joining the chat to help answer your questions will be Kathy Barbell, Senior Program Director for Program Operations of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). She helped develop the CWLA training program "Recruiting Foster Parents and Volunteers." Her most recent publications are A Community Outreach Handbook for Recruiting Foster Parents and Volunteers, co-authored with Lisa Sheikh and Foster Care Today, co-authored with Madelyn Freundlich.

Stephanie Thomas will also join us. She’s a licensed clinical social worker with For Love of Children, a Washington, DC nonprofit that works to protect children, motivate youth and strengthen families. She’s the team leader of foster parent recruitment and retention with the organization.

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RN: Many thanks to Kathy and Stephanie for joining me today. I see we have lots of questions lined up, so let's get started.

Robert: I would like to find an informational/awareness piece about foster parenting. Ideally it would be no more than two pages long and should explain what a foster parent is and include information on issues related to foster parenting, the importance of foster parenting, and resources for foster parents. This is something I would like to make available to parents and people who work with parents. It would be included in a packet of parenting information we distribute each year free of charge. Thank you.

RN: While we don't have a ready-made information piece available, there are a significant number of resources out there that may be able to provide you with exactly what you need. The first place to look is the National Foster Parent Association. On the front page of their Web site you can link to a one-page description of things prospective foster parents need to know; this may meet the need you described completely. You should also contact your local child welfare agency to see if they have ready-made recruitment materials available for distribution in your community. This may be an excellent option, as the materials will have local information and contact persons.

David Conrad, University of Colorado School of Medicine: Unfortunately, I will not be able to sit in on your chat, so I’m submitting beforehand. I run a program in Colorado called the Secondary Trauma Prevention Project. I spend most of my time helping child protection staff and some time helping foster families with their trauma. I think helping foster families with their trauma is an important issue, and is very important to recruitment and retention (obviously…they are on 24/7).

RN: Thanks for the info, David. Providing emotional support and psycho-education materials for social services staff to use is an excellent idea. By the way, we’ll be posting a complete transcript of the online discussion in the coming days at http://www.connectforkids.org, so anyone who missed the live chat will be able to read all of the questions and responses.

Lee, Pittsburgh, PA: I'm an adoptive mom interested in becoming a foster parent--maybe. But I'm also a busy professional, and my husband is not yet on board. Are there any baby steps I can take (beyond reading) toward becoming a foster parent? Am I even a likely candidate, since we are a household with two working parents?

RN: Yes, you are definitely likely candidates! Many foster parent families have two working parents. It's important to know that when a family wishes to become licensed to foster, both parents must interested and committed to completing the required training and other requirements, such as background checks. As you explore the possibility, it will be important to discuss the decision with your spouse as well as other children or family members in the household. Foster parenting, like adoption, is a big decision that will have big impact on your family, as well as any children you foster. It might be helpful to contact your local or state foster parent association, and maybe talk to some experienced foster parents. You can find out if there is a foster parent association near you by going to the Nat'l Foster Parent Association. You could also contact a local private or public foster care agency for information, or attend a foster parent orientation. To find a local foster parent agency, contact the Child Welfare League of America, for a listing of its member agencies.

Anonymous: I work in a school district that has been told in the past that the highest number of foster families per capita reside. What measures can a school or an after school program take to connect with these families to assist them so they have a higher level of success and will continue to be foster parents?

RN: That’s a great question! Schools are a wonderful, yet often untapped resource for supporting both foster children and the families that care for them. The first step we would recommend is speaking with your local foster care or child welfare agency. They probably can’t share specific information about families with you, but they can let you know about what support programs or services are available to foster families in the community. You probably can get specific information regarding the total numbers of foster families and children in the community, which will help you gauge the need for support of children and youth in your school district.

Support for foster families can also be tied into other parent support activities, such as involvement in the PTA, or providing extra support to families so that they can participate in back-to-school night and other school activities. The foster care agency may be willing to send out fliers or other information on behalf of the school, encouraging foster parents to participate in school-based activities.

Education is such an important issue for foster youth—foster parents would appreciate support in areas where school personnel such as yourself may have particular expertise, such as understanding the special education and IEP process, the availability of after-school programs, youth development opportunities, and resources to support better educational outcomes, such as tutoring or mentoring. Again, connecting with the local foster care agency will facilitate your ability to communicate with foster families.

Lastly, your program could collaborate with the foster care program to recruit foster or adoptive parents for children and youth in foster care. Some child welfare agencies have partnered successfully with schools to increase referrals of potential foster parents, provide a familiar community setting for foster parent training, or to distribute flyers and other recruitment materials to families at the school.

Marcia Brubeck: What is being done nationwide to maintain family ties in foster care, for example by involving biological parents in working with foster parents to support the placement?

ST: This is a very important issue, which is being discussed much more often. At For Love of Children in Washington, DC, we do family group conferencing to discuss permanency options for children. Bio families, foster families, extended family members, friends, and other people in the community who care about the child(ren) can be included. Family group conferences take place every 90 days, and have been very effective in keeping birth families involved, as well as reducing the length of time in foster care. Another program, currently being implemented in many states, is called "Family to Family", sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Family to Family works at finding foster families in the neighborhoods where children live, so that there is less disruption in their lives and more opportunities for birth families and foster families to work together on reunification and parenting skills. There are many materials available on the foundation's Web site www.aecf.org. The Child Welfare League of America has a publication entitled, "Toolbox #2, Expanding the Role of Foster Parents in Achieving Permanency." This can be ordered at www.cwla.org.

Mary Humble: This is not a question about recruitment, but a question I received from a grandmother raising her grandchildren. She asked how she could arrange to be paid or reimbursed for raising her grandchildren. She has had them for 2 1/2 years. They receive a medical card and the child care is paid but the grandmother does not receive any money.

RN: I don't know the state you're writing from, so it’s difficult to answer your question. Each state has different policies regarding support, financial or otherwise, for kinship caregivers. There are a number of resources out there that can provide specific information about what kinds of support might be available in your state, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or subsidized guardianship programs. To see what supports are available to kinship caregivers where you live, please look at http://www.cwla.org/programs/kinship/statefactsheets.htm for the kinship care fact sheets.

Another very helpful Web page with a lot of information about kinship care can be found at the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

There are an estimated 2.1 million children being raised solely by grandparents. These families face many challenges, and are in tremendous need of support. The Generations United (GU) National Center on Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children, also has a lot of valuable information and resources.

Anonymous: I am not surprised that it is hard to recruit foster parents! I have been one for a year now and regularly have my concerns marginalized, been insulted, lied to, made to feel patronized and have been verbally intimidated. I have been told the children I am now fostering/adopting will be removed if I don't "lie low" and stop bringing up questions that they believe mean I might not comply with an "open adoption" with an abusive birthparent.

My social workers make light of their having a "God complex" in their position. If they wake up on the wrong side of the bed, a child’s life takes a new direction, through no fault of the child or birth/or foster parents. Because of their implied threats with the children, I have been fearful of repercussions should I make a report.

Why is it so hard to have this kind of worker corrected, reassigned or fired? It is clear to me that the overriding priority is "what is in the best interests of" - the social worker.

KB: We suggest the following procedure for making complaints regarding private foster care or adoption agencies. Go through only as many of these steps as you need to in order to resolve your problem.

1. Make your concerns known to your worker, his or her supervisor, and the agency director, in that order.

2. Follow any grievance or appeals procedure set up by your agency.

3. If your agency has a Board of Directors, share your concerns with them.

4. Contact your state or local foster/adoptive parent association. They may have experience with either your agency or your problem. To find your state's association, go to the National Foster Parent Association
Web site list . You may also find information about adoptive parent support groups in the National Adoption Directory online.

5. Contact the state agency that licenses your foster care or adoption agency. Find contact information for your state licensing specialist in the National Adoption Directory online listing at http://www.calib.com/naic/database/nadd/naddsearch.cfm

6. Find out if your agency is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services on their Web site. () If it is, concerns about the agency can be reported by following the procedures given at
http://www.coanet.org/.

7. If your agency is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, you can report your complaint to them through their Web site. http://jcprdw1.jcaho.org/compl_frm.html.

Jacqui Cassar: We are currently doing a fostering course in Malta, where we have been told that the correct term is "foster carers" not "foster parents." Why can't we be called foster parents, after all, we are going to be a family. I feel that by saying we are carers, it might be interpreted that we do not wish to be called parents and would seem like a rejection to a younger child - one too young to understand. Please help.

RN: The language used by countries to describe fostering definitely differs according to culture and history. In the U.S., we are actually moving towards calling the people who take care of children in out-of-home care, "resource families". This would include foster families, kinship care families, and adoptive families. We can't say whether what you are called when you foster really makes a difference to the children--what's most important is that the child knows that you care about them and are there to support them as best you can. Another thing is that most children who come into foster care return to their birth families fairly quickly—using the term foster "carers" may be useful in distinguishing for the child between the family that is caring for them temporarily rather than their family of origin, to whom they are returning.

Lee, Pittsburgh, PA: Thank you, RN! Until I can talk my spouse into foster parenting, are there other ways to be involved with foster kids?

RN: There are lots of ways that you can get involved!! You could tutor a child or youth, be a mentor, get involved with supporting local foster families through helping with recreational or recognition activities. You can donate funds to your local foster care agency for helping with the costs of school supplies or even graduation expenses for older youth in care. Check out www.fostercareinfo.org for "10 Ways to Help Foster Youth", or go to the national foster parent association for ways to get involved.

Tina Light: What are the statistics for the amount of time people spend being foster parents?

KB: I haven’t seen national data, but have seen state data that 40% drop out after 1 year. However, many foster parents stay involved for 10-20 years.

Washington, DC: Do you feel that the foster parent program is the answer for so many children in need of a safe and loving home?

KB: I believe that it is best for children to be cared for by their own family (kin) if at all possible. When this is not possible, providing children with a non-relative foster family is a very good alternative. We do see the need for some children to receive residential and group care services, but only when less restrictive care – family foster care – cannot meet their needs.

Missouri: What have been the most successful recruitment and retention activities in other areas? In states with successful recruitment campaigns, which strategies produced the best results?

RN: Two weeks ago, Connect for Kids published “Marketing Parenting”, which covered the True Insight Marketing campaign in New York City, as well as some examples of successful campaigns in Utah and Ohio. More and more child welfare organizations are looking to the private sector for lessons on how to market foster parenting. In NYC, the city’s Administration for Children’s Services invested $850,000 in a three-year contract with True Insight. And, judging from the numbers, it seems to be working.

Anne, Portland, Maine: Any ideas about programs that help foster parents access affordable health insurance?

RN, KB & ST: While there are resources in place to provide health insurance for foster children, we are not aware of any programs to provide health insurance to foster parents, except in those cases where the foster parents are employees of the agency, usually a private community-based foster care agency, and are then covered under whatever employee health insurance is available.

Beth C., Missouri: We have found recruiting as well as maintaining foster or adoptive parents for children over the age of nine (9) to be difficult. Do you have any suggestions on how to recruit foster and adoptive placement for adolescents?

RN: National attention to the permanency needs of older children in care has increased significantly in the past couple of years. The first and often best option for any child or youth's out of home placement is family members, usually called kinship placements. Many organizations have increased efforts to contact extended family members when a child needs placement--this is also the federal requirement. The federal government has also increased efforts to help families by prioritizing the adoption older youth under the Adoption Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance through adoption subsidies to families. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has made a video on child-specific recruitment for older youth, which is available from the foundation at no cost. Child specific recruitment involves identifying, by talking with the youth, important people or people they feel close to, such as teachers, coaches, or mentors about the possibility of becoming a foster or adoptive parent for the youth. Another strategy is called targeted recruitment, where the agency identifies potential groups in the community that work with teens, such as high school PTA's, sports booster clubs, etc., where there's an increased likelihood of finding people who are interested in working with older youth.

Carol, Albany, NY: I am currently working on a state-wide foster and adoptive parent recruitment and retention program, assiting individual agencies and a few collaborative groups with their R and R efforts. The most common request we get is for a good, short recruitment video. What do you recommend since we can no longer get copies of "Take this Heart"?

RN: Good news—you CAN still get copies of Take This Heart!! The short version is called "Searching for Families." Contact Casey Family Programs in Seattle, Washington, 206-282-7300. Another great recruitment video for older youth in care is available from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Oklahoma: How can an effort be made to make more family members willing to care for the “child in need” on a long-term basis?

KB: Federal law indicates that kin should be the first option for the placement of children needing temporary care. More and more agencies, particularly in large urban centers, are placing children with kin. Foster care is temporary care and law requires that agencies provide permanency for children who cannot safely be reunited with their birth families. Guardianship and adoption are two ways to provide permanency. Relatives can adopt and if eligibility requirements are met, can receive an adoption subsidy payment. Some states are also proving subsidized guardianship payments. Guardianship does not require the termination of the parents’ rights and this option is often the one of choice for kin.

Wendy Cerdena: My husband and I became foster parents in 2003. We have two boys, ages 22 and 24, who live out of the home. I was very excited to get my first placement from DSHS. I wanted to work with girls 0 to 3 years of age. My first placement was a 3 year-old boy; then several weeks later, we received his 18 month-old brother. After several weeks I started feeling overwhelmed and anxious about our decision. Not having small children in the home for quite a while it was quite an adjustment. After only 2 months I decided it wasn't working and the boys were placed with another family. Are there others that have these anxieties and how do they deal with them? I want to become active again. I've thought of starting out in receiving care and emergency. Since it wouldn't be long-term care it may give me a chance to adjust. Will DSHS still be willing to work with me?

KB: You should check out the National Foster Parent Association’s Web site for state and local associations in your area, Tina. After what you’ve been through, it’s normal to have questions. It would be a good idea for you to speak with social workers and other foster parents. And, yes, providing emergency care and/or respite care is a good way to learn more about fostering.

Nancy Spoolstra, Attachment Disorder Network : I am most interested in addressing how we can meet the mental health needs of foster and adoptive children, and by extension, the mental health needs of foster families. How is this being addressed on a national level? How can foster families obtain more appropriate mental health services for their foster children? Thanks!

RN: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has identified the need for increased and improved mental health services through its Child and Family Service Reviews, which shows that most states are not providing adequate services in this area. Each state has developed a "Program Improvement Plan," or PIP, which outlines the steps the state will be taking to improve services. You can see state PIPs by going to the Web site www.acf.hhs.gov. Georgetown University is doing significant work in this area related to the Child and Family Services Reviews, and information can be found at gucchd.georgetown.edu. The Act to Leave No Child Behind, sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund and the Child Welfare League of America, supports increasing the resources available to provide mental health services to children in foster care. Many communities are working to strengthen all services, including mental health services, for foster children and youth by doing cross system collaboration and training. Child welfare agencies are reaching out to other government agencies in the community, such as Mental Health, Workforce, and TANF to ensure that families are able to access available services. One example of such a community is El Paso County, Colorado. You can read a report about El Paso County's efforts at www.clasp.org.

Kentucky: In Burlington, KY, I have seen many ads for foster and adoption parenting. Some give BIG $$$$, and others are very generic. While I am interested, and I don't wish to get tied up with a scammer, which is legitimate and would have the best concerns of the child at hand? Are they (the BIG $$$$) representing individuals, or looking to take my money and heart?

RN: The first thing you should do is contact your local foster care recruitment worker, within the local child welfare agency. You can find out who that is by talking to the state child welfare office:

Kentucky Dept. for Social Services
275 E. Main St., 3C-E
Frankfort, KY 40621
502-564-2147

You can find the number for your county office at: http://cfc.state.ky.us/office_phone_list.asp

The local public foster care or foster care recruitment office (social services) will be able to tell you which local community foster care and adoption agencies are licensed and reputable. They can help you get information about what you need to do to become a licensed foster or adoptive home, and direct you to the community-based organization that best meets your needs.

Anonymous: My husband and I took guardianship of a foster child. No relatives stepped up to the plate for relative care placement. It has been three years and the bio mom has done nothing to help her situation to get her two children back. My question: Why does the state continue to enable these bio mothers? We foster parents are "held to the fire" on everything we say and do -- when do the bio parents become accountable for their actions?

RN: This is a very challenging discussion for all of us--at the national and at the local level. The Adoption and Safe Families Act, the federal law that determines how foster care and child welfare services are implemented, states that when a child is in foster care for 15 of the last 22 months, the court must move to terminate parental rights (unless there are "compelling reasons" not to do so) which frees the child legally for adoption. The circumstances that bring children into foster care vary greatly across families. While we want to ensure that all children have safety, permanency, and well-being, sometimes this involves maintaining the connection between the child and their family. One of the compelling reasons often cited for not terminating parental rights is that the parent(s) have unmet needs for substance abuse treatment services. A large proportion of children in foster care are there due to substance-abuse related issues in their families. Unfortunately, the treatment and other support services needed by these families are often not available, or may take longer than 15-22 months to access.

Shelly, Jacksonville,FL: What is the national average for stipends paid to foster parents?

RN: You can find out the stipends paid by all the states to foster parents at www.ndas.cwla.org. Log in as a guest, go to "predefined tables" in the Out of Home Care section. The table is titled, "Foster Care Basic Monthly Maintenance Rates for Children Ages 2, 9, and 16."

Jan, Virginia: What are the top 3 characteristics of an effective program to retain foster parents?

ST: Three characteristics of retaining foster homes are ongoing trainings, accessibility to social workers and their supervisors, and incentives to the foster parents to keep fostering children.

Joplin, Missouri: My husband and I are kinship caregivers for four kids, ages 5, 3, 2, and 10. They aren’t related to us, but we have known the family for 17 years and I can tell you that when they go back, we were thinking of doing foster parenting classes and taking on some other kids that need some love and attention and a good home. But after dealing with family services in Joplin, Missouri, I can tell you we have just about changed our minds. I have never – and I mean never – dealt with people who are so unorganized. We have had the children in our home since February, and received only one payment and it was adjusted. I’m sorry to say that Jasper County has just lost a very loving placement for other children…

ST: It sounds like what you went through with the foster care program in Missouri was very stressful. A lot of times social workers are put in the middle of so many different issues. We are tasked to work with all parties who have different agendas and opinions about how things should go and then make recommendations. Unfortunately, your scenario is not an uncommon one, but it is important that if you would like to become a foster parent again that you continue to advocate for children. It is important that you get all of the telephone numbers of the social worker, the supervisor, and anyone else who is involved with the case that can make a difference. Sometimes social workers are overworked and agencies are understaffed. It is truly the "squeaky wheel that gets the most oil". I wish you much luck in your future endeavors!

Matthew Brady: I am a foster care developer in Maine for CARE Development. I cover two very large, rural geographical areas with a sparse population. We find it a challenge to provide strategic, focused recruitment efforts. Can you recommend any resources you feel would be beneficial for us to look into?

RN: We would have to say that current foster parents can often be your best resource when trying to recruit new foster parents, especially in situations where staffing levels and geography are challenges. Experienced foster parents can host a foster care orientation or information session in their home, and provide a more informal and comfortable setting for other community members to learn about fostering and/or adopting. Foster parents could show the documentary film, “Searching for Family,” which is available at no cost from Casey Family Programs. And remember, schools may be an untapped resource for both recruiting and supporting foster parents. Other strategies that might support recruitment across large or rural geographic areas include online or videotaped training for foster families. In Alaska, foster families can take all required courses to retain their license through a statewide on-line program. The child welfare agency will need to focus on going to where families live, outside of standard 9-5 business hours, such as PTA meetings, church activities, or libraries. The Washington, DC metro area Council of Governments will soon launch a foster parent recruitment campaign that includes “how to become a foster parent" sessions at local Home Depots, as opposed to “how to lay floor tile.”

Janice Levy: I'm the author of a children’s picture book, “Finding The Right Spot: When Kids Can't Live With Their Parents,” published by the American Psychological Association. It’s for all kids who can't live with their parents, regardless of the circumstances. More information about the book is available online. (http://www.janicelevy.com/work5.htm)

RN: Thanks for the info, Janice. I’m glad to share it with our audience.

Barbara Cappa: Are there any procedures in place for evaluating foster care homes on any sort of routine basis to ensure compliancy with the rules and regulations governing foster care?

KB: Foster families are licensed/approved by agencies. State statutes and regulations direct the agency’s licensing procedures and most require a periodic renewal process. CWLA Standards recommend that the licensing renewal should take place at least every two years.

Sam Haddock: What kind of training is provided to foster parents to help them understand the complex problems that foster children have? What kind of cultural training are foster parents receiving to help children form their cultural identity?

ST: There are many national training programs that are being implemented in the states, such as PRIDE, developed by CWLA, and MAPP, developed by the Child Welfare Institute. These programs do address the issues of cultural identity and identity formation, as well as the development of cultural competency for staff and caregivers. At FLOC, we provide ongoing training to foster families that includes addressing the cultural needs of the children we serve.

Karen Cohen, Florida: I just wanted to let your readers know about Mentoring 4 Kids, a free mentoring program developed six years ago at Alpert Jewish Family & Children’s Service and is now expanding thanks to a grant from Children's Service Council a few months ago. We serve Palm Beach County from Boynton Beach to Tequesta. The program is non-sectarian and we match children ages 6-15 who are living with one parent or guardian, or being raised by grandparents, with mentors who are over 25 to spend about six or eight hours a month with a child (2-3 visits) doing fun activities together, like sports, biking, movies, nature walks, bookstore browsing, etc. You can visit our Web site at http://www.jfcspb.org.

RN: Thanks for passing this along, Karen. Florida is lucky to have you.

RN: Thanks for all of your important questions, everyone! Time’s up – but remember, we’ll be posting a complete transcript of the online discussion in the coming days at http://www.connectforkids.org. Feel free to print it out and share with others.