What it Takes to Be a Healthy Future Therapeutic Foster Parent

Therapeutic Foster Parenting can be extremely rewarding.  Therapeutic Foster Parents have an opportunity to share in the success of the SED child in their care as the child and his or her family work to accomplish their goals.  There are few things more rewarding than contributing to the healthy development of a child.  Likewise it is a tremendous amount of work and a serious commitment.  Therapeutic Foster Parents have significant responsibilities.   In addition to the day to day care of and implementation of treatment strategies for the SED child in their home, they are responsible for maintaining: licensing, program policy, training, documentation, confidentiality and treatment team participation requirements.  

   They must be “strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to rock a sleeping child”.

Therapeutic Foster Parents may be: single adults or couples with or without children, stay-at-home moms who can juggle soccer practice and counseling appointments, single people who have no children, but have a great dog and a deep sense of responsibility, retired couples living in a rural community, or a variety of family configuration with the time and experience to give to a therapeutic foster child.   All of these folks can make a terrific foster parent.

People who make great therapeutic foster parents are those who enjoy children, can handle change, manage stress, have a sense of humor and are flexible. They welcome challenge and can provide children with structure. They can help children with emotional and behavioral problems learn new coping skills, and share in the joys of new ideas, talents and skills that are part of growing up in a safe, nurturing environment.

   In addition they:

• Demonstrate mutual respect and equality of input and views.

• Respond in a timely way to other team member’s telephone calls, emails or letters.

• Place the emotional and physical well being of the child ahead of their own personal ideologies or agendas.

• Look beyond the “label” placed on a child to find the strengths that will allow the child to successfully move into healthy adulthood.

• Engage in constructive dispute resolution when differences of opinion arise regarding the "best interest of the child."

Therapeutic Foster Parents are screened, trained and provided the necessary support to ensure their success.  They receive a generous stipend for services based on the acuity of the child, custodial status and program compliance.  

Application form -  Therapeutic Foster Parent