What is required to become a therapeutic foster care parent?
Therapeutic foster care parents are chosen in part on the basis of their acceptance of the program’s treatment philosophy and their ability to practice or carry out this philosophy on a daily basis. In addition to providing for a child’s basic physical needs of food, clothing, shelter and medical care, foster parents offer instruction, supervision, positive role modeling, and appropriate discipline. There are certain qualities which may be taken into consideration, including: professionalism, a sense of humor, enjoyment of children, flexibility, tolerance and the ability to adjust expectations concerning achievement and progress to the child’s individual needs and abilities.
