Those interested in learning more about fostering children have a couple of good opportunities coming up.
Stokes County Department of Social Services will hold free, virtual interest events on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 5 at 3 p.m.
The sessions can be joined from any computer, tablet or smartphone. Folks can also just dial in to the meetings.
There is a great need for foster families in Stokes County, with 105 kids needing care and only three of 13 licensed homes accepting placements, according to Sarah Essic, licensing specialist for Stokes County DSS.
“Anybody that has a love for children and wants to help people,” can make a good foster parent, Essic said.
The interest sessions typically run about 30 to 45 minutes.
Essic will go over all the licensing standards and answer any questions from those who attend.
“A lot of people don’t really understand how foster care works,” Essic said. “A lot of people don’t know that you don’t have to be married to be a foster parent, or that you don’t have to live in a two story house. You can live in an apartment; you can live in a mobile home. As long as it’s a safe living situation.”
Single parents and same-sex couples are also able to foster, Essic said.
Background checks will exclude those with certain criminal convictions including child or elder abuse.
Foster parents also need to be able to be physically able to care for the children, which range from birth up to 18 years, and provide transportation.
At the interest sessions prospective parents will also learn about the training required for licensure.
“In North Carolina, families who desire to become licensed foster parents are required to complete TIPS-MAPP (Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety and Performance — Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) or an equivalent training and assessment process,” the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website states.
Stokes County offers the 30-hour MAPP training twice a year. The next series begins Sept. 10 and will be held at The Rock Church in King at 416 W. King Street. It runs weekly through Dec. 3. Future trainings may be conducted virtually, Essic said.
“It is a great training,” Essic said. “It goes in detail about different discipline techniques, especially related to kids that have been through a lot of trauma.”
Those who start or complete the training can decide at any time they don’t want to be a foster parent, and DSS can also choose not to issue a license.
Those who are interested in fostering but are unable to attend one of the sessions are welcome to reach out to Essic directly.
She also encouraged those who can’t foster but still want to help.
“There’s lots of other ways that you can help, and that’s just spread the word,” she said. “Talk about the need in this area. Call up here to DSS, ask for me. I can give you other ways to volunteer that could be anything from cooking a meal for a foster family to sponsoring a child a Christmas.”
The department also always accepts donations wuch as clothing, suitcases, diapers and wet wipes, Essic said.
For more information, please call the Stokes County Foster Care Licensing Department at 336-593-2861 ext. 1131 or (336) 402-0192; email sessic@co.stokes.nc.us or visit https://family.binti.com/users/signup/stokes-county-nc-foster-application to complete a pre-screening application.
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