The decision to welcome a foster child into your home is one of the most selfless, but difficult decisions people make. Christine and her husband, Justin, recently decided to become foster parents. When Christine and Justin came to Child & Family Services, they asked the same question we receive from so many other individuals, “What do I need to do to become a foster parent?”
All foster and adoptive parents are required to complete pre-certification training sessions that are offered throughout the year, as well as completing a homestudy to confirm that the foster home is a safe environment. One of the courses is the Model Approach to Partnerships (MAPP) training. “There were a lot of interactive, hands-on activities,” said Christine. “We learned about what to expect – the good, the bad, and everything in between – in a very accessible way. Our instructors were amazing!”
In the MAPP course, foster parents learn the twelve skills necessary for successful foster/adoptive parenting. Role playing helps the foster parents practice for situations that might arise and visualize what the experience might be like from the child’s perspective.
“Most people have a preconceived idea of what foster care is based on movies or news articles, but not everything is always black and white. Things can change from day to day,” explained Samantha Urbino, Homefinder and MAPP Instructor at C&FS. “Foster parents learn real-life examples of what some of our children and their birth parents go through.”
“One of the most important things that we took away from the class was how we will work as a team – us, the biological parents, Child & Family Services – to do what is best for the child,” added Christine.
Creating a comfortable and supportive atmosphere for the foster parents in the class is an important way to help them open themselves to learning new skills during MAPP classes. Each time a parent would “take a risk” or share a personal story, they would earn a sticker. As shown in the above photo, Christine’s nametag was covered in stickers.
Having gone through the process of deciding whether to join the Foster Care Program, Christine had some tips for anyone who would like to learn more. “If it is something you are even considering, just take the first step,” suggested Christine. “Reach out to talk to somebody and ask your questions. There is a lot of great information online. I followed some Instagram accounts related to foster care. And, of course, Child & Family Services is always there to answer your questions.”
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, call (716) 882-0555 or email homefinding@cfsbny.org.