Foster Care
WE ARE:
Childplace is an Indiana licensed agency that provides care to children who have been removed from their home as a result of past trauma. Children in foster care are in the custody of the state of Indiana and have experienced abuse and neglect. Our agency provides education and training to empower and equip foster families to ensure a healthy environment of care for these children. Our desire is to encourage safety and permanency for children and their families. Together with our foster parents, the team at Childplace aspires to share hope and encourage healing.
WE BELIEVE:
Children in foster care need love, support and nurturing homes to provide structure, boundaries and an environment that promotes physical, mental and spiritual growth.
We don’t only foster children; we foster families. Working in partnership with DCS, providers, birth parents and families is essential in finding permanency for children. At Childplace, we take a team approach in providing services to the children placed in our care. Each child and family is of great worth and we seek to strengthen relationships by promoting healing while creating safety and connections for children.
Sharing hope and encouraging healing. Becoming a foster parent.
Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
What if I get attached to the child and then the child has to leave?
It is healthy and beneficial to all to form an attachment to a child in your care. Making healthy connections allows children and families to learn to trust one another ultimately leading to positive growth and development. The very nature of foster care is that of being a temporary placement for children. Our goal is to help the child and his/her family to reunite and heal.
How do children come into foster care?
Most children enter the foster care system through no fault of their own. Rather, they are removed from their birth families due to substantiated allegations of abuse or neglect by their caregiver(s). Some children also come into care due to their own behavior, causing physical harm to themselves.
Do I get to meet the child before he/she moves in?
On some occasions, the family is given the opportunity to meet the child before they are transitioned to the home. However, some children are in need of emergency placement and would be placed in the home immediately.
If I am licensed as a foster parent, can I decide the ages and behaviors of children that I accept into my home?
When the family meets with their licensing case manager, they will complete a checklist of ages and behaviors that they would consider accepting. Childplace and the Department of Child Services use this information when a need arises for placement of a child. A foster parent should never accept placement of a child who exhibits behaviors the foster parents do not feel equipped to manage.
Do all children that come into foster care have challenging behaviors?
All children that are placed in care have been subjected to some type of trauma through abuse or neglect; therefore most children will exhibit some challenging behaviors.
Am I required to accept every placement that is offered to me?
No. However, we do ask that foster parents not be too selective or limit themselves to a specific age, race or gender. We do consider the background of the child and the families that we are working with to find the best possible match.
How long is the average stay?
The average stay for a foster child with Childplace is between 6 and 24 months. We do have those who will return home much quicker and those who might remain in care until adulthood.
How are medical costs covered?
Medical costs will be covered by Indiana Medicaid or the biological parent’s insurance.
If I foster a child in my home and it becomes apparent that the child is unable to return to their birth family, am I considered as a potential adoptive parent?
Yes. Foster parents that have fostered a child for a substantial period of time (usually 6 months or longer) and have expressed a desire to be a permanent home for the child may be considered as an adoptive resource for that child. The child may also have relatives who will be considered a resource for adoption.
Please join us in our effort to provide a place of hope and healing for children and families!