1.5- What To Expect When Your Expecting

Waiting...

And waiting...

Still waiting.

Phone rings, this might be THE CALL!?

IT IS THE CALL!!

The case manager says they have a 2 year old, boy, Hispanic (maybe?), from Taylor county, will you take him?

Yep that's it, that's all the info your going to get and hopefully it's accurate! I've had some Hispanics show up at my door that are blonde, blue eyes, and ghostly white skin. Unfortunately not all of the 4 details you thought you knew about the child are correct!

Some come with lots of medications, no medical history, some with lots of clothes and some with only a diaper. Some with bruises. Some hungry. Some dirty. Some clean. Some appear to have been taken care. One thing in common is they ALL come with the need to be loved. 

Now you've waited 15 minutes for your new toddler to arrive or maybe you received more notice and have had 2 days to prepare. Regardless, your door bell is going to ring soon and on the other side of the door is going to be a child that will impact your life forever. 

Be prepared for an hour to two hours worth of paperwork and discussion when CPS and arrives with your new kiddo. 

Here is a list of things that can be helpful the first few hours a placement arrives: 

1) Have kid friendly snacks ready, while you may want to give them healthy fruits and veggies so they can have a fresh healthy start in your house, chances are they are not use to this. I recommend crackers, peanut butter and jelly, pretzels, dry cereal, etc. Save introducing new things for another day instead of the same day their whole world has been rocked. 

2) If there is someone available for you that can come to your house when they arrive it's nice to have an extra set of hands to turn cartoons on, or possibly give them a bath if needed or maybe read a goodnight story and put them to bed, depending on what time they arrive. 

3) Always bathe the child and put fresh clean clothes on as soon as possible. This is the perfect time to do a physical assessment and check for any bruises, diaper rash, other injuries, lice, sores, etc.  

4) If you find lice wash EVERYTHING they came with IMMEDIATELY! Lice is very common with kids that are coming into care.

5) Ask every question you can think of at the time of placement. 

a) Any allergies? 

b) Any medication? 

c) WIC cards? What kind of formula?

d) Medicaid cards? Doctors name and phone number? 

e) Family visits? If so where and when? 

g) Get caseworker and CASA phone number and an on call number. 

6) Do not plan for anything on the day of placement, you never know what can/will happen. 

7) Relax, Breathe and enjoy your night with your first foster child!