Opening one’s home to welcome a foster child is laudable enough. But what does it take to foster a child with special needs?
A common perception is that raising one’s own child who has physical or intellectual disabilities is challenging enough. But some foster parents interviewed by The Sunday Times, who are doing so, say that it is not the most important consideration for them.
What they have in common is a love of children. Despite the challenges of caring for children with physical or intellectual disabilities, the experience can be soul-satisfying, according to their accounts.
People who are interested in considering fostering, whether the foster child has special needs or not, may be reassured that there is plenty of support and training provided for foster parents under the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF) Fostering Scheme.
This includes regular supervision by Foster Care Officers and social workers, as well as a monthly allowance for each foster child of $936, or $1,114 if the child has special needs.
The Government is looking for more foster parents to provide care for vulnerable children.
The MSF Fostering Scheme provides care for children who may be abandoned, neglected or abused by their biological families or guardians, or their parents/ guardians may be in ill health and are unable to look after them.
At the end of 2017, there were more than 500 children and 450 foster parents in the fostering scheme, he adds.
While fostering placements can be temporary, some children are fostered for years or even a couple of decades.
Alternative care arrangements – such as adoption by the child’s foster family or another adoptive family – are possible, but the “ideal outcome” for the foster child is successful reintegration with the biological family, the spokesman says.
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Source: The Straits Times, 22 July 2018