https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 19:04:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-594050 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:43:23 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 594050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: she sounds awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-593758 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:34:05 +0000 Boheme 593758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Echoing what all the other PPs said.<br /> And I just want to say, as somebody who works on the red tape/social work side of foster care, it is awesome that you are interested in getting involved in the foster system! I love seeing my program's LOs be placed in a loving foster home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-593743 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:30:16 +0000 Anagram 593743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also think the amount a foster family gets in WIC food and the supplement is not enough to cover the cost of a child, so they are definitely using their own money as well. I'm sure it depends on the state, but in Texas where I used to live, the supplement is $450 a month.</p> <p>One of my teacher friends was a foster parent for kids who were temporary, and had no chance of adoption (sometimes they are harder to place). Sometimes she would have them just a few months, until the courts allowed their parents to take them back, sometimes she would have them longer.</p> <p>But since she would take any age up to 8th grade, sometimes she would have young ones that needed day care while she was at work, and although she had support from her retired parents (her mom would watch her foster kid a couple times a week, she still had to pay for daycare the other days, and that's probably that whole stipend right there, nevermind clothes or other items they might need.</p> <p>I'm guessing there aren't enough well-off, two parents familes with stay-at-home moms that want to be foster parents--because she was definitely in demand enough to always have a foster kid.</p> <p>More importantly, she was really good at it, too! She would get them tutors, work hard to get them caught up to grade level in the development, get them involved in activites/clubs. I kinda want to be like her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-593544 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:39:30 +0000 Arden 593544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First of all, WIC isn't welfare. And besides that, the assistance they provide is for the CHILD, not for you.<br /> There are many wonderful families who love and care for foster children but perhaps could not afford specialty formulas and complicated medical care required for many foster kids, and WIC covers those expenses for the child so that they can go to a loving home regardless of whether the foster parent has a lot of money.</p> <p>"Like why would you take children into your home if you can't support them on your own?"<br /> Because finances are not the only aspect of a good home. Foster families are scarce, not many people feel they can take on the emotional and physical toll of becoming foster parents. If a little extra help to cover the expenses of the children makes it possible for more families to care for more children, don't you think that's a good thing? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-593296 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 06:26:08 +0000 Dandelion 593296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>WIC isn't welfare...it's food. And ditto everyone above. It's for the kids, since even though they're under your roof, they're still under state assistance. I think some states also help provide medical insurance for these children, too, until you adopt them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-593293 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 06:03:56 +0000 sorrycharlie 593293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agreed with PPs. My parents fostered my sister before adopting her and she had WIC &amp; healthcare. WIC isn't welfare, either, as a side note. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-593288 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 05:10:27 +0000 Mrs. Polish 593288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: ditto Mrs. Jacks. My parents fostered my brothers before adopting, and those programs were for the boys, not for my parents. It's not about taking advantage of anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-592622 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:23:05 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 592622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You are not going on welfare, you are taking advantage of the benefits provided to foster children. Without the special needs stipend, someone close to me would not have been able to provide her foster child (now daughter) with the services she needed. It's not for you, it's for the child! They also get medicaid, a stipend, and sometimes additional moneys for sports they do or other special needs they may have.</p> <p>If you follow all the links on this site, it should answer most of your questions:<br /> <a href="http://www.utahfostercare.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.utahfostercare.org/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-592604 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:09:24 +0000 runsyellowlites 592604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like both the pp have said, it's completely for &amp; based upon the foster child being in your home &amp; isn't about "you" qualifying.</p> <p>I have a cousin that her &amp; her husband were foster parents and ultimately adopted some of the children they fostered. I do know that despite wanting to, they didn't adopt one of them b/c the medical needs she had required them to need the state benefits package that came with her being fostered and they would lose it if she were adopted. She's an adult now and still calls my cousin her parents &amp; sees them as her family regardless of them having legally adopted her or not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-592565 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:49:08 +0000 Mrs.B 592565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a foster Mom so I have some experience with this. WIC is provided to all foster children under five. In most cases a carseat will be provided when a child is placed with you and then if the child is moved the carseat would go with them. The provided carseat is usually very basic (the cheapest option). WIC is helpful because formula is expensive. We have used it for formula. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-592545 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:40:24 +0000 yoursilverlining 592545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think maybe you are misunderstanding what they are saying (or maybe not haha).</p> <p>You can’t just “sign up for welfare” in that way. I have friends who foster and they receive WIC on behalf of the foster children ONLY; they wouldn’t qualify for any assistance programs as a family (I mean, like if those kids were their bio kids they wouldn’t qualify for any aid). It’s part of the benefit package from the state, specifically for fostering. It's not "getting on welfare". Hope this makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fostering-with-government-assistance#post-592534 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:35:02 +0000 anonysquire 592534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had no idea where to put this, so I chose money, sorry if it's inappropriate!</p> <p>Ok I'm not wanting to offend anyone, and I don't really know if anyone on here is also looking into fostering. Something I read today is really bugging me. I'm part of a future foster moms group and was asking whether I should buy carseats and strollers now or wait til right after I get a placement or when the timeline is. And so many people replied to go through wic and get a carseat. I might be wrong but in my state you have to show that you are not dependent on the government to get approved to be a foster parent, so why would I turn around and go on welfare?</p> <p>Everyone commented that if I have children 0-5 I qualify for wic. Well I wouldn't use it unless I truly used it, but my parents would help me out if I got to that point. </p> <p>Anyways am I wrong to think this is wrong? Signing up for welfare, getting $400-500 a mon from the state and then getting welfare on top of that? Like why would you take children into your home if you can't support them on your own? New mothers I know don't get monthly checks from the state, so why shouldn't 400-500 a month be enough to offset the costs of a child?</p> <p>Sorry if this comes across as jumbled, that's how I am :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-591774 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:29:46 +0000 Boheme 591774@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No way! I am a social worker and I would see this as a huge plus! When you're going through the adoption process, you never know when you're going to get your baby so I would actually give you higher marks on your home study for being prepared in advance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-591771 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:29:20 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 591771@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a nursery set up and our home study social worker said it would help moms picture their baby in our family. If this is through the state, though, they have different requirements than private, so I'd just follow their recommendations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-591760 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:26:16 +0000 Mrs. Train 591760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's fine to have a nursery ready. For our homestudy we had to have "a place for a baby to sleep". Some had full nurseries, others had port a cribs ready. It's just a personal choice. We had a port a crib but the room was starting to be our nursery. we just weren't one. Are you doing foster to adopt or just foster care? I'm so excited for you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-590175 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:35:11 +0000 anonysquire 590175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone. It definitely is not cluttered and the rest of the house is not cluttered either. </p> <p>@sorrycharlie: we said we are open to newborn to 5 years old but we have other rooms. This is just the one I wanted for a nursery :)</p> <p>@loveletter: I'm hoping we have a high chance of getting a baby. Oh I would be in heaven! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589947 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 11:09:36 +0000 loveletter 589947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think having a nursery ready is great! We had ours all done, and our social worker seemed to really like it. </p> <p>In our pre-homestudy classes, they encouraged us to get everything ready for a baby. They said most people put off buying a crib and other things because they are afraid of getting their hopes up, but then what happens is they get matched quickly and are scrambling around trying to get everything ready for the baby!</p> <p>I think you're fine! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589926 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:42:08 +0000 sorrycharlie 589926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with maybe making sure it's clean and somewhat organized, but if they ask or look like they're thinking 'what on earth?' just a simple explanation would be fine. I think it's great that you're prepared! question - are you fostering babies? or older kids? maybe make sure you could point out where you could set up a toddler/twin bed if needed? (you totally could already have that covered, just pointing it out :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589857 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 09:43:07 +0000 Bao 589857@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it shows you are excited and ready! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589808 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 08:29:43 +0000 Mrs. Cowgirl 589808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think so! So long as you have the room for it (like the rest of your house isn't super cluttered and moving stuff into the nursery would make more sense), I think it's great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589776 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 07:16:02 +0000 IcebergMom 589776@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You could also say some of it was gifted. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589753 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 06:24:25 +0000 T.H.O.U. 589753@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it sounds ok. I would maybe make it look as simple and basic as you can. Aka take down clutter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589752 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 06:24:22 +0000 travelgirl1 589752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it shows how much love you already have in your heart and home for your future baby. You're showing you have enough room for them and have already thought about their needs. I haven't been through adoption before, but I don't think it would be viewed negatively. Good luck with the home study! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589750 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 06:12:16 +0000 honeybear 589750@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would personally interpret that as enthusiasm, and a good sign (but I'm not a social worker). ;) Best wishes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589747 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 05:46:46 +0000 Sweet T 589747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you could just tell them that you thought you'd have a baby by now and didn't want to pass up some great deals. I don't think it seems crazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/too-much-to-have-my-nursery-set-up-for-home-study#post-589746 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 05:34:53 +0000 anonysquire 589746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ok so I was just thinking about this, we have a nursery set up. Only because I got a crib for my birthday last year and I've been collecting baby gear/clothes because I figured I'd be knockd up by now. Well fast forward to now.... We have our home study in 12 days, is our recruiter going to think I'm crazy for having it all set up? Should I take it all down? Am I over thinking every little detail? I am so nervous for this :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-study#post-552860 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:16:23 +0000 sarac 552860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister is actually a social worker who does just this for a living and I have heard her stories about the totally random crazy stuff she has to ask about. I was shocked to hear about the sex questions, but I guess they're standard. Like someone said, to make sure you have a healthy, adult relationship with proper boundaries. </p> <p>She also told me that she has to ask each partner if they're satisfied with their sex life. If each person has the same answer (yes OR no) then it's ok, but if one person differs then that is a flag for follow up or whatever. So weird! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-study#post-552804 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:02:08 +0000 Mrs. Train 552804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: we had to answer things about our marriage and sex and fighting. I got the impression that it was to see if we were a well balanced married couple. We went through a Christian agency so part of their requirements are that you were in a marriage with Christianity in your home. So we had questions like what is your fighting style and how do you resolve conflicts?How do you show love for each other physically? They really get into the nitty gritty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-study#post-552787 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:49:47 +0000 Mrs. Pen 552787@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: very interesting... that makes sense! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/home-study#post-552770 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:42:16 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 552770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: I think they are looking to see that you have appropriate boundaries and no red flags. I'm sure there is great worry for abuse and I'm guessing that they might think they would pick some people up just by asking about it.</p> <p>We definitely answered that question with a very appropriate non answer! </p>