What is "adequate space?"

[EmmaGM]

It will still be some years before we're ready to foster, but it's something I've always known I wanted to do. Trying to get an idea of where we need to be before we even start the process, I looked at Texas's foster home requirements and all it says about space is "adequate sleeping space."

Google has NOT been my friend in this. I'm not one to believe that every child needs their own bedroom and I've found so many different rules via evil Google.

Do the rules change based on age, gender, sibling groups? How does this work for you? Does every foster child need their own bedroom, rules about # to a bedroom, etc?

ETA: I know the only way to get a real answer to my question is probably to just call the foster/adopt department of DFPS but I'm curious about everyone else's situations.

[silvaheyes]

I read somewhere that it goes by square footage and that Texas it's around 40ish (don't quote me as I'm not sure and it's just something I randomly read) square feet per child and no more than 4 children per room.

Found this from 2008: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/document...inspection.pdf Gives you an idea.

Bedroom for one child is at least 80 square feet; bedroom for multiple children is at least 40 square feet per child NO MORE THAN 4 CHILDREN IN A ROOM (exception for PMN children)

[newmommy13]

Our rules state so many sq ft of living space in the home per person as well as 40 sq ft of bedroom space per child. I think they are more firm on the bedroom space. Im not big on seperate bedrooms either so im glad our foster girls will be able to share with dd.

[EmmaGM]

Originally Posted by silvaheyes I read somewhere that it goes by square footage and that Texas it's around 40ish (don't quote me as I'm not sure and it's just something I randomly read) square feet per child and no more than 4 children per room. Found this from 2008: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/document...inspection.pdf Gives you an idea.

Ooh! Thank you! That is very helpful.

Originally Posted by newmommy13 Our rules state so many sq ft of living space in the home per person as well as 40 sq ft of bedroom space per child. I think they are more firm on the bedroom space. Im not big on seperate bedrooms either so im glad our foster girls will be able to share with dd.

Another one of the random things I found while searching was that bio and foster children were not allowed to share bedrooms! That seems like a terrible rule.

[newmommy13]

Well we only have a 2 bedroom home so we wouldnt have been able to foster at all in that case. And that would be really sad if the foster kiddo had to sleep alone while the bios slept together. I guess i can see the point in certain situations.

[sparkly_vagabond]

It varies by state. When we looked into foster care in Tennessee it was so many square feet per child and I think males and females we to be separated. In Alaska the child has to have it's own sleeping area... no sleeping bags. That was all the requirement!
Small spaces and sharing are easily doable but I would look into state specific requirements.
Good luck on your search! We had a terrible time finding anything out before we were in contact with our case worker too

[misskira]

We weren't given any specific square footage. Here, only 6 people per toilet, each kid must have a bed and a place to store clothes, and boys and girls over 5 in separate rooms unless they are bio siblings.

[pcjs]

I forget all the rules here but the minimum is a bed and dresser. The reason for foster and bio kids not sharing is because the foster kids could come with a lot of baggage and issues, including inappropriate behaviors from all kinds of abuse and neglect and they don't want to take the chance of the fosters doing something inappropriate to the biological kids. Plus, often its hard on the biological kids that their space is being intruded on and all that fun stuff. I have no issues out of necessity kids sharing rooms (I prefer separate if the option is available but obviously its not) but I would not recommend mixing the two except in very young kids.

[sillyutalktome]

Originally Posted by silvaheyes I read somewhere that it goes by square footage and that Texas it's around 40ish (don't quote me as I'm not sure and it's just something I randomly read) square feet per child and no more than 4 children per room. Found this from 2008: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/document...inspection.pdf Gives you an idea.

Yes this is close to right. If one child is in a room the room must be 80sq feet at a minimum, if they are sharing it must be 45sq feet of space per child. Also need 40sq feet of living space per person including your family. Six people per bathroom. Children over the age of five can't be mixed genders in a room. Children under the age of two can sleep in your room, but you need a waiver. In our agency bios and fosters can't share, but I can't remember if that's just our agency or the state's rule.

Oh and in Texas they need a bed, a space for their clothes and their toys. It doesn't have to be a dresser and the kids can share a closet/dresser as long as it's adequate for their need.s

[meesh38]

Our state has square footage rules, but it's not like they bring a measuring tape and measure the rooms or anything. Basically they just want to make sure you're not putting kids in the closet or something. I've had 3 kids in a tiny bedroom before, but they fit because we had bunk beds and a crib. They also need a dresser but it can be something as simple as plastic bins you roll under the bed or rubbermaid drawers.