Lesson Two 1 2 3 4 5
What Every Resource Parent Should Do In Every Placement:
Honor a child’s history and his ties to his extended family, community and culture.
A child's connections to his family and community are like the roots of a young plant. If we take care of the roots, we can move the plant into different soil and it will still grow. If we damage the roots, we hurt the growing plant. Tending to the roots of the children in our care takes extra effort on the part of the adults, but will help the young person grow in the long run.
Watch your words.
Resource parents are asked not to say anything derogatory or demeaning about the child's parents or family members. When you say something bad or demeaning about a child's parents, the child is forced to choose between you and the parent. No matter what he may feel, he will feel forced to defend his parent. Also, because so much of a young child's self-concept is identified with his parents, if you attack his parents, the child will feel you are attacking him, too.
Keep a lifebook.
A lifebook is a record of a child's life while he is in your home. Keep photographs, school projects, some drawings and special awards for the child to take when he leaves your home. So many children in foster care lose parts of their history because they don't have an adult who is actively keeping a record for them. Ask for a lifebook when a child comes from another foster home or start a book for every child who comes to your home.
What A Resource Parent Should Do When Reunification Is The Plan:
Support ongoing efforts to help a child stay connected to his parents
Support the efforts of the parent to stay involved with a child's life. When parents aren't physically with their children, there is a tendency to disengage or not be involved in the important day to day activities of being a parent. You can do many things to keep a child connected to his birth parent, and encourage a parent to stay involved in a child's life.
Support visitations.
Visitations will be determined by the caseplan, so ask your social worker about the visitation and contact schedule. Getting children to visits and supporting a child in the aftermath of a visitation are important roles of a resource parent.
Actively prepare and be involved in the transition of a child to a new placement.
Help children transition from one placement to another or back home by providing guidance, information and support.