Who can become a Foster Parent in SC? What are the requirements?
Many people think becoming a foster parent in South Carolina can be challenging or that it takes a long time to become licensed. Some people may feel that you have to be rich, own your own home, or be a married couple. That used to be the case, but that has changed due to the critical need of foster parents. South Carolina has recently implemented agency licensing. Each agency has its set standards for what is required to become a foster parent. Some Christian Agencies do not allow same-sex couples, people over certain ages, or people of certain income levels. One agency may deny you, but you can go to another and become licensed. It’s imperative to do your research first. I will be going over specific agency requirements in a different blog. Just know that not all agencies are the same.
You must be at least 21 years old
Some agencies have a top age limit. I have a fantastic friend in her late 70s who takes medically fragile children. Some agencies allow grandparents to become licensed foster parents. If you’re physically and mentally able, I do not believe there should be an age limit.
You must be financially stable
You have to be financially stable. You cannot be on HUD, Section 8 housing, SNAP/Food Stamps, or TANF and foster. I believe that does not apply to kinship caretakers. DSS will request a detailed accounting of your monthly bills in an expense report which will be requested at your home study and yearly after that. It must be updated if you lose a job or change jobs. A monthly budget detailing a breakdown will be attached to it. Children are expensive; you must prove you can pay your bills without relying on the monthly supplement. It’s called a supplement for a reason. It is to go to the child’s care and upkeep their share of the food, rent, utilities, and entertainment. It does not include quarterly clothing allowances of $100. There are ABC vouchers if the child requires daycare, but finding a daycare that accepts them can be difficult.
Two Character References
You will be asked to provide at least two character references. I believe only one of those can be a family member. The other one needs to know you at least a year. I recommend your clergy person, a teacher/professor, your supervisor at work, or a close neighbor. You want to very carefully choose someone who is in agreement with you becoming a foster parent. There may be people who are against Foster Care. Foster Parents often get a bad reputation for doing it “to earn money”. Please, for the love of all things holy, get their permission to use their names. It is unfair for them to find a reference letter in their inbox suddenly.
Good physical health
You must be in exemplary physical health. DSS will provide you with a physical form for the whole family. You will take it to your physician of choice. If you don’t have one, Doctor’s Care or Urgent Care will do one for you. The cost is about the same as a sports physical ($45). When you take in medically fragile children, you must receive certain immunizations. This immunization requirement has caused many foster homes to close. I understand DSS’s point, but we are already critically short of foster homes. If this mandate is enforced, I see a lot of foster families closing their homes.
Emotional Stability
You must be emotionally stable. People become foster parents for various reasons. It was an emotional journey that took me years of preparation to come to grips. Becoming a foster parent isn’t for everyone. I bluntly say this. If you still have trauma you are dealing with from childhood or adulthood, please do not foster. At least not right now. It took me years of therapy before I was ready to become a foster parent. Why? Because these children can easily trigger your memories. You don’t want to walk down that path if you do not have proper coping mechanisms in place. You can end up traumatizing the child even more.
For families who have had miscarriages or infertility, this also applies. The foster child cannot replace a biological child. The first goal of foster care is reunification with the child’s birth family. You can and will have your feelings hurt if you stand in the way of Social Services returning that child to their home because you have fallen in love with them. I’m not saying you shouldn’t fall in love with them. It’s a risk, though. You must learn to love and leave them if that’s the case.
Pass background check
You must be able to pass a background check. Before the applicant may be approved to place a child, any household member who is 18 or older must undergo fingerprint-based checks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the State Department of Labor (SLED) crime information databases. Applicants must undergo national and state fingerprint-based background checks at the time of their initial application and annually thereafter. Applicants and household members aged eighteen or older must also be checked for mention in the National Sex Offender Registry and state sexual offender registry by the agency. The search for a sexual offender registry must be carried out at the time of the application and no earlier than one year prior to renewal. Unless the charge has been purged, anyone over 18 living in the household cannot have a criminal record involving domestic violence, drugs, or crimes against children.
Be able to work with a team
You must be willing to work with a team and especially the biological family. There are many people who have difficulty understanding this. After all, this family did the child some harm by placing the child in foster care, right? It doesn’t matter, I’ll repeat it again. The goal of foster care is to reunite the child with their biological family. It isn’t always in the best interest of the child, but it is the primary objective. It is likely that these children come from generations of dysfunctional families. They are likely to have been abused by their parents or to have grown up in the system. As a foster parent, I have mentored many parents. Some just needed someone to believe in them. These children deserve to have functioning parents.
Who can be a foster parent?
Gay, straight, single, or married. It doesn’t matter if you’re a person of color or white as long as you can pass the requirements to become a foster parent. These may not be all the requirements for certain agencies so you will have to check the ones in your areas. As it sounds, becoming a foster parent is a lot of work, isn’t it? It’s not easy. It can be highly frustrating, but oh-so rewarding as well. Knowing that you are making a difference in a child’s life is an experience you won’t soon forget. You need to pass a background check and be financially and emotionally stable before applying. If you are not quite ready, yet, that’s okay too. There are several things you can do to get ready. It could be as simple as cooking a meal for a foster family. You could become a Guardian Ad Litem. I’ll write about those later. They’re amazing. You could also be a mentor or big brother/big sister. Fostering isn’t for everyone. For more information or if you have any questions please reach out to Heartfelt Calling.org or SC DSS page. https://bridgetoindependence24.com/how-to-avoid-foster-parent-burnout. Please read my other blog on Foster Care burnout.
Please read this article on https://dss.sc.gov/child-well-being/foster-care/
