In the last post, I shared about how there is a lot of paperwork when a child is initially placed into a foster home. But the paperwork doesn’t stop there….It’s ongoing.
The next unexpected paperwork needed, is the inventory of clothes and shoes. Of course, when a child doesn’t come with a lot, it’s simple for the foster parents. But when they have everything, it takes more time.
Sometimes kids come with nothing except the clothes on their back. However, sometimes kids arrive with everything. Our first foster placement came with a laundry basket of clothes, some toys, a pack of diapers, and almond milk.
Her siblings came with multiple suitcases of clothes, shoes, and toys. Jared is super allergic to cats, so if the previous caregivers had cats or there was lice in the previous home, washing everything as soon as possible is wise.
Other monthly paperwork includes:
- Documenting medical appointments
- Allowance log
- Monthly contact logs
- School paperwork like report cards
- Medication logs (prescription or OTC)
Each child comes with a binder that will get passed on to each caregiver, so they will know important medical or behavioral history, school records, etc. about the child.
Lately, I’ve been learning about how some appointments aren’t always documented in the binder. Sometimes I feel like a detective trying to put missing pieces together.
For our agency, each week we need to submit progress notes about how each of our foster kids are doing. These notes are in regards to behaviors, concerns, cultural events, extra-curricular activities, and school progress.
If you have a child who is moderate or specialized these reports need to be submitted daily. Our kids are basic.
The paperwork is a definitely inconvenient, but this process is still worth it! I take one thing at a time and one day at a time, and it all gets done! I know I’ve been called to this, so it keeps me encouraged to do everything that is included with the whole process of foster care. In my life, if I don’t feel like God has led me to something, than I try my best to not allow other things to steal my time away. When I realize I’ve become too involved with other things, I reprioritize. Oftentimes, that has meant saying “no” to other opportunities that don’t align with my priorities. We can’t do it all. And that’s ok. God didn’t design me with unlimited time and unlimited energy, so I try to be careful not to say “yes” to everything that comes my way. I need quality time with God, my husband, and of course the kids. It’s taken time and work to find our groove, but by the grace of God, we’re doing it!
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