Vol. 12, No. 2 • June 2008

Shining the Spotlight on Foster Parents!

by Stacey Darbee, President, NC Foster and Adoptive Parent Association

This year foster parents, families, and children will be in the spotlight as the NC Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, the NC Division of Social Services, and their partners advocate for higher board rates for children in care. NCFAPA encourages you to become educated on this issue and to be proactive in getting the support that foster parents need.

As foster parents we take on a commitment that few in our society would even dream of. True, child welfare professionals, mental health practitioners, and child advocates give energy, blood, sweat, and tears. But no one else demonstrates the level of commitment that a foster parent has. When we say 24/7, we actually mean 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

From early morning to the chaos of bedtime and often throughout the night, foster parents are at the ready. Foster parenting is not a challenge to be taken lightly—it is for generous souls who are hearty of heart, flexible, and thick skinned. We aren’t super heroes. But we are every day heroes.

It is time for foster parents to ask for what they need. There is no shame in asking for the support necessary to do what we do in the very best way possible. That support comes in many different shapes and forms. This year we are asking for an increase in the rate at which foster parents are reimbursed for expenses they incur in caring for children. In other words, we are asking for an increase in the foster care board rate.

Hitting the MARC
In October 2007 a study was published about establishing foster care “minimum adequate rates for children” (MARC) across the country. This report was a joint venture of Children’s Rights, the National Foster Parent Association, and the University of Maryland- School of Social Work, working in conjunction with a large advisory group. This report, “Hitting the MARC,” is the first study that calculates the real expenses of caring for a child in foster care in the United States. This report will be essential data we need as we educate the General Assembly and the public about the costs associated with raising children in foster care. To find this report visit <www.ncfapa.org> and click on the “Resources” tab.

NCFAPA fully endorses the legislative agenda of the Covenant with North Carolina’s Children, a statewide advocacy group. This agenda supports a board rate increase and additional foster care funding by the state to fully secure federal Chafee Funds.

Another Successful Conference
Our 10th Anniversary Conference, Shining the Spotlight…A Decade of Dedication was held in Winston Salem April 25 – 27, 2008. It was truly remarkable! Over 500 of North Carolina’s foster, adoptive, and kinship parents joined together for a weekend of learning, sharing, resting, games, and some dancing fun. Family Feud will never be the same again!

This year we offered 55 different workshops and institutes. We were especially proud to “up the ante” and provide some higher-level training for more experienced parents. Participants asked for humor and fun and we obliged, giving them Family Feud and the comedy of Joanne Scaturro and Donna Foster. Once again we focused our closing session on Advocacy for ourselves and our children, as Ms. Karen McLeod, President/CEO of the Child and Family Services Assocaition–NC, discussed issues in North Carolina that are of great importance to us all.

Updated Website
Over the past year our website has changed, evolved, and grown. It is now fully functioning and we hope that you will visit it often. There you will find links to other conferences and training of interest and also surveys and information specifically for parents in North Carolina. Look to it often for news, surveys, updates, and member benefits.

Copyright � 2008 Jordan Institute for Families