These are a few of the questions that kids want answered when going into or living in foster care:
During the first week:
- Why didn’t my parents want me?
- Is it my fault?
- When will I go home?
- Can I still see my parent(s)? When? Can I call them? When? How often?
- Can I see my brothers or sisters? When? Can I call them? When? How often?
- Can I see my friends? When? How much?
- Can I go into the refrigerator without permission?
- Where are all my clothes and stuff? Can I get them?
During the first month:
- What religious views does this new family have and can I still go to my church?
- Will these new people provide or let me do the things I like to do? Hunting, fishing. football, music, friends….….
- Can I still drive?
- Can I keep my job?
- Could I live with my best friend?
- How am I going to keep up in school if I have to start all over in a new school?
- Will my credits transfer?
- If I get in trouble do I get kicked out?
- What happens at court? Can I go? Should I go?
- Do I have any right to have a say so in what happens at court?
- Do I have the right to talk to the judge?
- If my social worker does not call me, what should I do?
- If I don’t get along with my foster parents, who should I tell?
- Can I see some of the stuff that is written about me?
- If my worker does not call me back, what can I do? Who else can I call?
- What do all the words mean:
- Custody
- Termination of parental rights
- Adjudication
- “UA”
- Supervised visitation
- Permanency Planning
Within six months:
- Do I have any say where I live?
- How can I tell the judge what I am thinking?
- Can I just go live on my own? (older youth)
- Can I get an allowance?