Did you have to have a credit check to foster?

[TexasHeatherLynn]

Our agency does this as a standard procedure. They do not base their decision to allow you to foster based on your score, but rather on your income to debt ratio. They said they started it because they were finding too many people were depending on foster care reimbursement to pay their bills.

[iwiamandaiwi]

I think that is a great idea. It makes me sad to think of a child going to a foster home just so they can afford to pay their bills. The child deserves better.

[TexasHeatherLynn]

Originally Posted by iwiamandaiwi I think that is a great idea. It makes me sad to think of a child going to a foster home just so they can afford to pay their bills. The child deserves better.

I agree. I was taken aback at first, worried because our credit score stinks due to a job loss a few years back. However, when they explained "why", I was totally on board. We can pay our bills just fine without the subsidy, but have known families who did foster just for the income. *SMH*

[newmommy13]

I know it happens but I can't figure out why or how that works. I used to babysit a little girl 40 hours a week and I made more in 2 weeks then I do in a month of FC. And I didnt provide any food to that kiddo. I'm not saying our dfs breaks the bank but we had 3 placements in 3 months and didn't get clothing vouchers for any of them. Luckily I know some awesome mamas who helped a lot but not everyone has the support I do. I just don't understand how this could be a money making venture. I think we have a really low reimbursement rate too though.

[TexasHeatherLynn]

Originally Posted by newmommy13 I know it happens but I can't figure out why or how that works. I used to babysit a little girl 40 hours a week and I made more in 2 weeks then I do in a month of FC. And I didnt provide any food to that kiddo. I'm not saying our dfs breaks the bank but we had 3 placements in 3 months and didn't get clothing vouchers for any of them. Luckily I know some awesome mamas who helped a lot but not everyone has the support I do. I just don't understand how this could be a money making venture. I think we have a really low reimbursement rate too though.

I don't know either, but it happens.

[ivparker]

Yes, ours also asks us to list all our bills and our income to verify that we can live off of our own money and dont need foster money to live. I also dont get how you can make money.Maybe its because we have infant twins and didnt have any baby supplies. We've spent at least $100 on formula each week. Ive never been on WIC but asked about it and thank goodness all foster children qualify. So as of this week, that is covered. We are also using disposables vs cloth so that is an extra expense. And we had to get clothes for them. Today I hit the jackpot, though, found someone on craigslist with twin boys selling clothes in the right size!
Oh, and we have to transport for parenting visits 3x a week. The gas cost is all the money they give us for a day.

[newmommy13]

Originally Posted by ivparker Yes, ours also asks us to list all our bills and our income to verify that we can live off of our own money and dont need foster money to live. I also dont get how you can make money.Maybe its because we have infant twins and didnt have any baby supplies. We've spent at least $100 on formula each week. Ive never been on WIC but asked about it and thank goodness all foster children qualify. So as of this week, that is covered. We are also using disposables vs cloth so that is an extra expense. And we had to get clothes for them. Today I hit the jackpot, though, found someone on craigslist with twin boys selling clothes in the right size! Oh, and we have to transport for parenting visits 3x a week. The gas cost is all the money they give us for a day.

yay for craigslist deals! gas killed us when we had newbie dfd with visits 5x/week across town ! luckily the visitation office is just a few miles away now and thats where most visits are but hers were in home. i have had a person commment to me "yeah i hear theres good money in that." i was so shocked i started a thread about it here lol!

also why aren't you on wic yet? i get on wic a day or so after a placement if i have to sit in the SW office to wait for the documentation. no i've never really had to do it, i just say can you write a letter i'll pick it up and thats been fine so far. formula is too expensive especially with 2!!!!

[ivparker]

Originally Posted by newmommy13 yay for craigslist deals! gas killed us when we had newbie dfd with visits 5x/week across town ! luckily the visitation office is just a few miles away now and thats where most visits are but hers were in home. i have had a person commment to me "yeah i hear theres good money in that." i was so shocked i started a thread about it here lol! also why aren't you on wic yet? i get on wic a day or so after a placement if i have to sit in the SW office to wait for the documentation. no i've never really had to do it, i just say can you write a letter i'll pick it up and thats been fine so far. formula is too expensive especially with 2!!!!

I think maybe if I was on WIC before I might have known what to do. I had to ask my case worker who just told me to google where it was. The hours are terrible. I think its from 8am-11am and 1 to 4pm. So I had to find a time that my dh could be home to watch all the other kiddos. I had to go in twice. It seemed like there should be a lot easier of a way to do it since all foster children qualify. So yeah, about $300 that we could have saved. 5X a week for visits! I found that another agency by us has transporters. I'm friends with the director of the agency and I'm debating mentioning something to her. I mean they kept telling us that with the new requirements of 3x a week they'll have to work something out to help us foster parents but they really haven't, at least for me. I think if I just flat out said I can't do it, then my case worker might help with some of the transporting but I feel bad giving her more work because she seems already really busy. I feel like they should reward those of us who do all the transporting with like $5 or something to help with the cost of gas.

[newmommy13]

Oh yeah my first case worker held my hand through the whole thing and was very helpful. Also our hours are much better and the staff is super friendly. And its pretty close to my house anyway so its not too hard to get to.

I would also just say you can't do it. I asked for help but wasn't very assertive and was told that they don't help with transporting ever by the visitation worker which I know for a fact is BS.

$500!!!!

[TexasHeatherLynn]

I am shocked. Our visits are once a week, period. Also, you can ask for a transporter here if you are not willing to transport (but it will limit your placements). If we do transport, we get reimbursed for the fuel.