Parenting is an essential part of society. Being a foster parent is an entirely different playing field, however. Compared to families who prepare their entire lives as parents, foster parents have to create a welcoming environment for their foster children, while getting to know and care for them deeply.
Foster parents are people who temporarily take in foster children and become their caregivers for a certain period of time. As foster parents, individuals must provide for their foster children by feeding and sheltering them. They also need to provide for their education, recreational activities, and other necessities to fulfill their well-being.
Just like any other form of parenting, foster parents will need to have a substantial amount of money to provide for themselves and their foster children. In this article, we’ll be outlining the different services available to foster parents. We’ll also be answering the myth as to whether or not you make money being a foster parent.
How much money do you make being a foster parent?
Some people may think that being a foster parent is a career and that people make money from taking in foster children. This is a myth. The short answer to this question is: you don’t make money being a foster parent.
The government, and other foster care institutions, do provide help to foster parents in caring for their foster children. However, it does not mean that the money and resources provided should be used for personal gain. These allowances need to go into the needs of the foster child, such as food, clothing, living expenses, education, and so on.
The subsidies provided by the government are different depending on your state. These amounts range from $400-$900 per month. This amount is meant to cover the following:
- Food
- Transportation
- Clothing
- Personal expenses
This amount may not cover other expenses that the foster child may need or want, according to their own personal interests and health conditions. As such, being a foster parent is not a viable, nor ethical, career path for making money. Yes, you may save a bit from the allowance the government gives you, but it won’t be too noticeable of an amount.
What services can I avail myself of for more money as a foster parent?
Though there’s a set amount of money provided for you and your foster child, there are other ways for you to be provided more, under the right conditions.
Here are the different forms of assistance you can avail of as a foster parent:
Contingency funds
Some states can provide contingency funds in the case of property damages that the foster child may cause while staying in the foster parent’s home. Not all state governments provide this, so be sure to check!
Additional funds for clothing, housing, etc.
This will depend on the needs of the child. Usually, foster parents of children who are older or have special medical needs will receive more funding for these expenses.
What can I do to make money as a foster parent?
If you are interested in looking for part-time jobs to help take care of your foster child, there are many work-from-home opportunities that you can look into. You can even use your knowledge of parenting as a way to make profits. Trying or pursuing some of these options can help in ensuring your foster child is well taken care of.
Tutor or Counselor
You can use your knowledge in parenting, or in any field of your interest, to tutor or provide counsel to others. As a tutor or counselor, you will guide individuals in learning different lessons and topics.
You can choose to teach academic subjects to children or students. You can also teach other aspiring foster parents or young parents how to take care of their children.
Family Blogger
If you’re more passionate about telling stories, you can choose to start a blog about parenting. Blogs are especially helpful and in-demand for parents, where there are many topics to be learned about when discussing child behavior and parenting styles.
Your passion project can turn into one that creates profit through advertisements, brand deals and sponsorships, and affiliate marketing. You can learn more about how to start a blog and monetize it in this article.
Freelancer
Being a freelancer is arguably the most flexible career one can have in a work-from-home setting. As a freelancer, you can provide services to different clients and companies, while maintaining most of your own creative freedom and working pace.
There are all kinds of jobs that you can do as a freelancer. You can pursue writing, website creation, content creation, graphic design, and even translation or transcription. There are also micro tasks and niches you can explore to help you figure out what kind of freelancer you want to be.
Virtual Assistant
Being a virtual assistant is another job that can be done from the comfort of one’s own home. As a virtual assistant, you will assist companies in writing emails, scheduling meetings, and other administrative work. Virtual assistants are important in keeping businesses alive.
If you have certain skills that are niche and technical as well, such as writing and software development, you can use them in succeeding as a virtual assistant.
How do I become a foster parent?
Each state may have additional requirements for registering foster parents, however, these are the general requirements for the United States:
- Be of legal age (21 is the general rule of thumb, but some states accept those who are aged 18 years old and above)
- Have a stable income that is enough to meet the foster child’s needs
- Have a clean or non-existent criminal record
- Own or have a home with enough bedrooms to accommodate foster children
- Accomplish all workshops and assessments required by the state or foster care agency
