Have You Heard?

"Have you heard anything?"

"Did they call?"

"When are you getting a kid?"

No, no, and I don't know.

These are the questions I've been getting lately. They are perfectly legitimate questions and so I thought I'd just send out the answer to everyone!

Receiving a foster placements is a bit of a waiting game. The way in which kids and foster parents are matched up is a bit complicated and thus it falls on the luck of the draw in some instances. (I personally thing God has a bit to do with it as well.) Here is a brief description of how it was explained to me in training.

When a kid enters the foster care system, they all process through the local DCFS. This is the state-run agency responsible for all children in Foster Care. Once DCFS has a child, they have a limited amount of time to find them a home. So, they pick up the phone and start making calls. Calls go out to foster parents directly licensed by DCFS and to the private agency that is currently on-call. There are multiple private agencies in any given state/area, and they are on-call in a rotating manner. Once DCFS gets a hold of the on-call agency, that agency is given approximately 2 hours to find a placement for that child. If that agency is unable to do so, they call the next agency on the list and so on. I am licensed through a private agency and so for a child and I to be matched, it requires quite a bit of timing.

As you know, I'm currently only on the Respite Care list. I have thus far received one call, but had to say no due to the fact that it was a mid-day, mid-week placement. I had requested weekend only respite placements due to my situation at work. That sounds limiting, but they assured me that is usually the time in which respite is needed. So, asking for weekends only is not really as limiting as it sounds.

The past couple of weeks I have really been praying and seeking wisdom on what to do next. I have been licensed for almost 3 months and am trying to decide when it is time to switch from the respite list to the full-time placement list. Being on the full-time list doesn't necessarily guarantee a quicker placement though. One of my trainers waited 6 months before getting her first placement!

Anyway, I've spent time just sitting in the kiddo's room thinking and praying and have yet to get the answer to change anything at this time. I feel like I'm in a waiting period that isn't so clear. I haven't been getting respite placements, but also don't feel that I'm supposed to pursue a full-time placement yet. I'm not exactly sure what the plan is at this point. So, if you are a person of prayer, I would appreciate any and all prayers. Please pray that God would grant me wisdom, show me His plan, and reassure me that He is faithful to fulfill His plan in His perfect timing!



(This post was written just over a week ago, I just forgot to edit & post! Enjoy!)