6 Questions to Ask Before Taking a Placement

Your phone rings late in the evening. On the line is a case worker asking whether you are available to a child in immediate need of a foster family. Whether this is your first call or your 20^th, knowing what questions to ask in this moment can help you make the best decision for yourself, your family and the waiting child.

Please remember that while these are great questions to ask, it’s important to respond graciously if the case worker doesn’t have all the answers right away.

Gender and Age

Knowing the gender and age of the child(ren) needing to be placed will help you identify the rooming situation. Children older than five years of age must room with the same gender. Each child needs to have a bed and space to keep their belongings. An infant can stay in your room in a small, portable crib.  

Knowing the child’s gender and age also helps you think through how it will impact the children already in your home.

Timeframe

Change happens quickly in the world of child welfare. The amount of time a child will need to remain in foster care isn't always clear at the time of removal — it could be a couple nights or a couple years. It's best to be upfront with the case worker about your current capacity while remaining as flexible as you can.  

You may only be able to make room for a few days while other arrangements are being made. Other times, you may have the flexibility to accommodate a long-term placement. If you have a firm cutoff date due to upcoming travel or family transitions, be sure to tell the intake worker. That way they can determine whether they need to find an alternative placement for a child.

History

Understanding a bit about a child's history can help you identify potential conflicts and complex needs. This can be an important factor in keeping everyone in the home safe. This information can also give you insights into certain behaviors that might come from traumatic experiences and help you maintain a position of compassion.  

Good questions to ask include:  

• Why and from whom was this child removed?
• Has he/she been placed in foster care before?  
• Is there a history of violence, sexual and/or physical abuse? Has the child ever acted out in any of these ways towards others?
• Are there ongoing behaviors I should know about?
• Are there any past or current diagnoses?

Remember, background information on a specific child may be limited for a number of reasons, especially if they are new to the foster care system.

Medications and Allergies

Be sure to ask about any allergies the child has. You wouldn't want to bring a child with a pet hair allergy into a house full of animals. Asking up front will also give you time to get rid of or replace potential allergens, like peanut butter or dairy. Depending on the severity of the allergy, you may also need to keep an EpiPen on hand.

You’ll also want to know about any medications the child takes as well as their schedule. Be sure to keep all medications in your care and distribute them at the appropriate times.  

School, Daycare and Other Services

You will want to know early on whether the child is enrolled in school, daycare or other services and where. This information could impact your schedule as well as your family’s current routine. It will likely be up to you to communicate with the child’s school or daycare about changes to their care and needs. If school or daycare are not in place yet, you can work towards getting them enrolled.  

While a child is in foster care, daycare expenses will be covered by the State as long as they are enrolled in a licensed daycare. Other services might also be in place such as speech therapy, occupational therapy or counseling.

Visitation and Family Leads

Initially, the intake worker may not know what the visitation schedule will look like. But they be able to get you this information in the near future. Some children have many hours of visitation each week, while others have very little or none. Every situation is different, but these visits will impact your family’s schedule and routine.

Good questions to ask about visits include:

• Will there be visits?  
• With whom and how often?
• Who will transport and supervise the visits?

As you get further into this journey, you will likely build a list of your own questions. Write them down and keep them handy in case you get a call, but remember to hold loosely to the answers you receive. Cases can change from day to day. And while it’s good to get as much information as possible, saying yes to a new placement will always require flexibility and faith.

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