Interested in becoming a SWFL foster parent? Here are the rules

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MGN Online

FORT MYERS, Fla.- There are currently more than 1,900 kids in Southwest Florida under the care of the Department of Children and Families.

More than 650 of those kids need foster care. But as WINK News told you, there aren’t enough foster parents in the system.

Some of you, the viewers, told us on Facebook that you were interested in fostering but had a few questions.

Those included questions about eligibility requirements, and potential costs.

We asked Children’s Network spokesperson, Raymond Fischer, for those answers. Here they are below:

“The families need to be motivated to provide a stable and nurturing temporary home to children that have been displaced. The families will need to attend 10 weeks of pre-service training (no cost to them) that  will provide them with a core understanding of child development and a basic knowledge of child welfare.  The families will need to submit to background screening, a home inspection, and have a home study assessment.  Out of pocket expenses should not exceed $30 dollars.”

Fischer added, that “The only cost to foster parents is for water samples and radon testing if they live in Charlotte County.”

WINK News asked why?

Fischer said, “It’s a safety precaution just to ensure environmental safety  (no bad water or radon gas) for children going into a foster home. It’s part and parcel of the regular protocol that foster familes are subject to. As the responsible caregivers for these kids we must make sure we take extra precaution with what amounts to someone’s most precious commodity.”

You can call 1-855-933-KIDS if you are interested in fostering.

The original story is at the link below:

http://winknews.wpengine.com/2014/12/15/number-of-foster-children-rising-in-swfl/

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