How can we be foster parents?

Before beginning to explain what foster parents consist of, it is necessary to clarify the difference rather than make clear the difference between that term and the adoption of a child. When a couple decides that they want to be foster parents , they assume that they want to take in a child that their family cannot have with them, for whatever reason and the Social Services want them to be in contact with family nuclei to grow up . Most of the children that Social Services meet are in a situation of helplessness and need a foster family, either in temporary or permanent foster care.

THE RECEPTION TIME CAN VARY UNTIL THE AGE OF MAJORITY

In the event that an adoption takes place, there must be a legal process that confirms that these parents are going to have guardianship of the baby or child. Adoption is a solution so that minors can have a family again and couples or applicants can live and enjoy the experience of having a child . With the adoption, there will be a kinship relationship between the two people, becoming, legally, the child’s parents.

PROCEDURES TO BE FOSTER PARENTS

The procedures and requirements that parents have to meet to be able to take in a child or baby are different in each autonomous community, so the best thing you can do is contact the body that takes it in your community so that you do not have any kind of legal problem. Even so, the procedures are usually quite similar:

– First of all, as is obvious, the family has to contact the relevant body to request to be foster parents. After this, an informative meeting takes place in which doubts are resolved and the necessary documentation is delivered to formalize the request legally.

– Once the forms have been completed, it is time to formalize the offer to be a host family by delivering the application and the necessary documentation for it to be accepted . Among the documents is: DNI, family book, medical certificate of each applicant, which proves their physical and mental health (in case of illness, the diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the degree of disability, if any) ), municipal registration certificate, criminal record certificate of each applicant, certificate of work or professional activity and other documents that contribute to adequately assess the suitability of applicants.

– A psychosocial study will be carried out, consisting of at least two interviews. One will take place with a psychologist and one with a social worker. In addition, all this will be accompanied by a home visit to guarantee the suitability of the family.

TO TAKE IN A CHILD YOU HAVE TO DO THE CORRESPONDING PAPERWORK

– As a last step, the Minor’s Guardianship Commission will decide if the family is suitable for foster care and will be included in the Registry of Foster Families.

ADVANTAGES OF BEING FOSTER PARENTS

Some of the points in favor that a family or foster parents can have to take in a child or baby are the following:

– Family reunification . In the event that there are already siblings of a child or baby who have previously been welcomed.

– Groups of three or more siblings within the host family . In addition, it will be taken into account that minors are over 7 years old.

– Minors with disabilities and special health problems , with a hereditary medical history of risk or with other special needs.

– Absence of diseases and / or physical or mental disabilities that, due to their characteristics or evolution, harm or may harm the integral development of the foster child.

– Family stability and emotional maturity of the applicants , as well as, where appropriate, the acceptance of foster care by the rest of the people who live with them. In addition, there is a capacity to accept the child’s personal history and their special needs, where appropriate, or ethnic, cultural and social differences.

– Positive and flexible attitude for the education of the minor and availability of time for their care , leisure and follow-up in the process of integration of the minor and the family.

– Acceptance by the family that the foster care may not have a certain limit, but that it will never be an adoption nor will there be any expectations of it . In addition, it will be admitted that the minor may be related to his biological family.