Let's talk about the most dreaded part of foster parent training- paperwork. The stories are true, there are A LOT of forms to sign, fill out and bare your soul to. On my computer are 14 separate documents that I filled out over a course of two weeks. 14 doesn't sound like a lot until you get to the part where each one is pages and pages long, but as a single person, I lucked out. I had to do exactly 50% less paperwork than a married couple because there is only one of me to poke and prod ;)
Those 14 documents do not include the forms I filled out during training or the information about myself like my DL, birth certificate, electric bill, etc.
Here is a good working list of the information you will need to provide.
- Resource Family Questionnaire
- Fingerprinting of all household members 18 years and older
- Consent for Criminal Records Form 404
- Schedule medical appointments (Form 36 for parents only)
- Health statements with TB test for everyone over 16 yrs; Health statement on all children in household under 16
- Drug screen
- Sign Authorization of Release of Information (Form 5459)
- Application (Form 35)
- Financial Statement Form 44
- Verification of income (copy for record)
- Safety Agreement/Discipline Policy (Form 29)
- Resource Family Questionnaire
- Foster Parent Agreement (Form 38)
- Sensitive Issues Inventory
- Stress Index
- Mental Health Questionnaire
- Personal Network Matrix
- Drivers License
- Auto Insurance Card
- Confirmation of US citizenship
- Birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers, Green Card.
- Marriage License (any you've ever had)
- Divorce Decree (any you've ever had)
- Death Certificate (of anyone in your immediate family)
- Pet Inoculations for Rabies
- Environmental Statement (information will be provided if your home is not on county/city water service.)
- References
- Pictures of Family
- Layout of home
So yes, there is a lot of information to compile and turn in while also filling out forms that are meant to screen you in an intensive and invasive way. After all, they are handing children over to you- they don't take that lightly.
I will say the something that makes the process easier is to give brief (but accurate) answers. They are looking for any triggers that would make a you ineligible to be a foster parent so don't spend paragraphs telling about your great aunt who played the harmonica for the Beatles. They don't care and it only wastes your time. Stick to the facts, be truthful but keep it concise.
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