|-Fostering A New Beginning-|

"We have the opportunity to pour into them what they were created to be; and pullout the treasure that they cannot yet see."

Each of us have this inherent need to be cared for and loved by someone. This someone may be your parent, a relative or even a friend who steps into the role of a mentor and essentially becomes your support system. Many of us are privileged enough to already have this in our lives.

But what about that little child who sits on a street corner, a picture of despair as he/she tries in vain to block out the constant fights between his/her parents or another child whose only living parent is no more?

Generally foster care is arranged by the government. Children are tried to be put with extended families or close relatives. There are also government recognized individuals who welcome such children into their families. Thus these foster families become the new home for these kids. And its soul purpose is to rebuild the birth family. But sometimes the links are so broken that reunification is a far fetched dream.

Typically, a foster child may exhibit physical, developmental, behavioral, and emotional issues that likely rooted from life experiences gone sore. There may also be some physical problems like handicap, starved or sexually abused individual.

A foster parent should try to reach out to the child, create a feeling of comfort, love and a sense of belonging. The child feels alone, doesn't trust anyone easily. To them, the world is bleak with nothing gone right so far.We have to break through the invisible wall and get through them.

A helping hand when a baby take his/her first footstep. A motivator for learning and playing. A guidance for the growing future. A cocoon of warmth to erase the gloom. Aren't these some of the basic needs in childhood?

But what happens when such necessities are taken away? When the nurturance every child needs is denied because of family problems or situations? What happens when that child's wishes and dreams seemingly turn to dust?

Foster care steps in. And with that comes new life for both the child and the parents.Parenting is a skill that involves immense patience and understanding, an ability to connect to children, and being the guide that takes children to the right path while embedding good values and morals into them.

They take on new responsibilities and sometimes experience emotional upheavals caused by children who have their own set of reservations to join into a new life. The realities of fostering a child such as knowing that these children are not a permanent fixture in their lives and may leave at some point, disruptions in their own lifestyle and livelihood appears.

But there is a certain satisfaction you get seeing the change in a child, realizing you have given them a home and hope. As a foster parent, one has to try a meet needs beyond the basic needs. This will be a slow process. A process involving getting to know, understanding, accepting, and trusting each other. A process that requires a tremendous amount of patience.

Going through the process of becoming a foster parent might be same as in the case of adopting. However the tribulations faced by them are no less. A prerequisite for running a foster home is providing a safe and secure environment for a child who may have been experiencing psychological stress or some who may have lost their family. There are also cases where parents leave their kids temporarily in foster homes to sort out their personal issues and take them back after a certain period of time. Others might stay long term in foster homes till they get adopted or till they become independent and move out after getting a foothold in their career.

To take care of kids having different levels of resilience is a hefty task for foster parents. An emotional and social connection with the child is adequate for their well being. Foster parents may struggle with managing mixed groups where likes of each member are difficult to complement with others, sometimes households with other kids experience difficulty creating a bond between the children.

But it's not just about fostering a kid but about fostering a responsible future. Fostering Hopes.

Though foster parents don't possess the legal parental rights, they have the full responsibility of parents when the child joins their family. Those could include caring for babies, toddlers or teens. It will also include medical needs, day-to-day necessities, and in the case of traumatic stress or disabilities there may be additional needs and special care to include. Training is provided in certain countries who are willing to take up a foster care along with the agency they work. There are many policies stipulated which they are bound to follow.

Foster parents have their freedom to specify the child whom they would like to include in their family according to their wish and ability. After all they are not just providing a physical space but a psychological support without any expectations.

Though we went through the admirable part of fostering there is another dark side to it. Hopes falter when the children encounter severe mental turmoil and physical torture at homes which promised them love and care. A stipend or reimbursement is paid monthly to incur the cost of caring a child and certain taxes exemption is provided to the foster parents. Such grants are misused to a great extent for selfish needs. Several horrific stories of sexual abuse and neglect have been reported off late. Such cruel acts just blemish the sanctity of the service which many provide.

Give them the hope of a life that they deserve, the love that they crave and the faith that after every storm, the sun will smile .