Part two: what it’s like to be a foster parent

Part 1 is here:    • The first month as a foster parent  

In this Part 2, this will be the "middle part" of foster care - the months and sometimes years where a child is in your care and the family is working their case plan.

I will follow up this video with Part 3 to give you a look into what Reunification looks like.

This video is great for:
Hopeful foster parents
New foster parents
People who want to understand the daily life of a foster parent

Here is what I cover in this video:
Introduction
What to expect in terms of timing
A look into what services look like (mental health, developmental, educational) and your time commitment as a foster parent
Supporting mental health at home
Advocating for services and your role in the services
How I manage my time with work and foster care calls/meetings/tasks
Fostering younger vs older kids
Other appointments and time commitments
Timing of appointments and work considerations
Advocating for your boundaries
Fostering with a partner & getting help
Considerations if you have permanent kids at home
Relationship with the foster child
Some things that may come up with the kids in the home
Visitation
Your relationship with the bio family
Potential curveballs you may experience, including kids moving homes or accusations
Final thoughts and advice
Coming up next

Of course, everyone's experiences will vary and each county, worker, court system, etc., will operate differently. I am not a professional and I'm sharing this as my opinion and not professional advice.