In most states, you are considered a foster parent during the period between placement and finalization. You have all the rights and responsibilities that accompany your foster parent license, but also know that these rights may limit what you can and can not do in regards to your child.
Since you will still be under the supervision of your social services office, or adoption agency, they will need to be consulted or notified of major medical issues. If you need to admit your child to hospital, you will need to notify the office immediately. Social services will need to authorize major medical procedures. You will have to abide by the rules set forth in your states foster care handbook. Most of the handbooks can be found on-line and links are in the state specific section of this book.
As a foster parent, you are required to keep a file on your child. Even if you are not required to do this, it is in your best interest and your child’s. Should the placement not work out, you can pass this information along to your child’s next family.
What should you put in the file?
Copies of all school correspondence, including IEP paperwork, detentions, suspensions, etc.
Dates and findings of doctors reports, lab tests, hospital visits, and other medical information.
Dates and details of behavioral issues and interventions.
Paperwork from court appearances, or hearings at social services (permanency planning meetings, or other required meetings).
Dates and results of any visits with birth family members, or any visits canceled or missed with birth family.
Any extra curricular activities your child is participating in.
List of all medications your child is taking, and any changes made to those medications, along with reasons for changes.
Names, phone numbers and addresses of regular doctors and therapists.
I have only had a foster care license as it relates to adoption. My license specifically states that I may only take children for the purpose of adoption, because my home study was done as a pre-adoptive study.
Home studies for foster care and adoption are not always the same. Most times if you are a foster parent and choose to adopt one (or more) of your foster children, you will have to complete a separate adoption home study. It will be highly repetitive of your foster care home study, and quite personally I don’t see the difference. Either you trust me with children, or you don’t.
Whether you decide to foster or adopt, your procedure will be much the same.