Be A Voice...... To Help Improve Foster Care In Washington State
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Communication
Communication is always a piece of foster care we need! If you have great ideas or things that have worked well for you or maybe no so well in communicating with social workers or DCFS staff you can share them here.
Communication is a hit or miss with most of the social workers. But, I always try to remember how overworked they are. It's very frustrating as a foster parent to have little/no communication and/or untimely communication. I wish I did have ideas!
One idea regarding communicating a visit/appointment which requires a foster child's presence: Perhaps a deadline for communication that is respectful of the foster parents schedule would be nice. For instance, I can't count the number of times I have had to change plans, cancel other activities and rearrange schedules (often forcing our other children to forgo an activity/event) in order to make a last minute visit, be home in less than a half hour when a parent has not shown up for a visit, make a meeting, or similar. We often have many children and crazy schedules. Furthermore, child care isn't reimbursed and I've been forced to pay for care many times when I've had to change plans with less than 24 hour notice. Can you imagine how much we pay an hour for child care for 4-6 kiddo's? It's not fun.
BranNstuff, It is fine for you to tell the social worker you will not be available in an hour or whatever, or to tell her "I'm sorry, the visit will not work for me tomorrow (if they give you to short a notice) as I am going to be gone" or "if you can pick her up at 8:30 am that will work as I am going on a field trip to Mount Rainier with the kids tomorrow so unfortunately I won't be back til 4" or " Thursday looks open if you want to schedule a visit then" Define your boundaries respectfully!
Well.. The Braam settlement goes away June 30. (Officially December 31)... DSHS has fought it's implementation from the begining for getting into "their" business. I feel bad for the kids.
The visits are court ordered and the facilitators are working with many other families and demands. You have to be flexible. We don't know when parent's aren't going to show up for a visit so it is always your responsibility, like with any kid, to have a back up plan. Have them dropped at another care givers home, meet you at the store your at etc... It is all done in the best interest of the children. Not the adults.
I have found that emailing a weekly update to the SW for any child(ren) in my care does wonders for communication. I describe the week, events, and send photos. This has helped keep us in a very good working relationship with our SW's. I often get an email back. This information can also be used in reports to the court as well as I can cut and paste into a Caregiver Report. Yes, short notice meetings aren't convenient but everyone is struggling with time. Being as flexible as we can be is needed, but if it's impossible, respectfully explain your predicament to the SW with another option for a visit. I have found MOST try and work with us.
Communication is a hit or miss with most of the social workers. But, I always try to remember how overworked they are. It's very frustrating as a foster parent to have little/no communication and/or untimely communication. I wish I did have ideas!
ReplyDeleteOne idea regarding communicating a visit/appointment which requires a foster child's presence:
Perhaps a deadline for communication that is respectful of the foster parents schedule would be nice. For instance, I can't count the number of times I have had to change plans, cancel other activities and rearrange schedules (often forcing our other children to forgo an activity/event) in order to make a last minute visit, be home in less than a half hour when a parent has not shown up for a visit, make a meeting, or similar. We often have many children and crazy schedules. Furthermore, child care isn't reimbursed and I've been forced to pay for care many times when I've had to change plans with less than 24 hour notice. Can you imagine how much we pay an hour for child care for 4-6 kiddo's? It's not fun.
Thank you BranNstuff for your idea.
DeleteCommunication is needed for fostering children. Thanks shala crow. I really happy your provided information.
ReplyDeletefostering allowance
BranNstuff,
ReplyDeleteIt is fine for you to tell the social worker you will not be available in an hour or whatever, or to tell her "I'm sorry, the visit will not work for me tomorrow (if they give you to short a notice) as I am going to be gone" or "if you can pick her up at 8:30 am that will work as I am going on a field trip to Mount Rainier with the kids tomorrow so unfortunately I won't be back til 4" or " Thursday looks open if you want to schedule a visit then" Define your boundaries respectfully!
Well.. The Braam settlement goes away June 30. (Officially December 31)... DSHS has fought it's implementation from the begining for getting into "their" business. I feel bad for the kids.
ReplyDeleteThe visits are court ordered and the facilitators are working with many other families and demands. You have to be flexible. We don't know when parent's aren't going to show up for a visit so it is always your responsibility, like with any kid, to have a back up plan. Have them dropped at another care givers home, meet you at the store your at etc... It is all done in the best interest of the children. Not the adults.
ReplyDeleteI have found that emailing a weekly update to the SW for any child(ren) in my care does wonders for communication. I describe the week, events, and send photos. This has helped keep us in a very good working relationship with our SW's. I often get an email back. This information can also be used in reports to the court as well as I can cut and paste into a Caregiver Report. Yes, short notice meetings aren't convenient but everyone is struggling with time. Being as flexible as we can be is needed, but if it's impossible, respectfully explain your predicament to the SW with another option for a visit. I have found MOST try and work with us.
ReplyDelete