Can it be dangerous to be a foster parent?

Answer 1

This depends on the child. I work in a behavioral home for children age 4-12. The kids I work with have often hurt their caretakers during rages. Right now, I have bruises from a 10 year old girl whom I had to restrain so she wouldn't run away in downtown fort worth. My coworker is off because of a back injury from these kids. If they are higher functioning kids, no way. But severely traumatized kids can be extremely dangerous to themselves and others. Another child has permanently damaged a baby from bashing the baby's head into a crib. She should not have been left alone with the baby, but still, most kids would not do something like that.

You need to get good information on the type of kid you might get. Expect fits in the beginning, they will test your limits to see if you will keep them safe. But, don't agree to take specialized kids unless you are willing to get the bruises, lock up all knives, medications, and other potentially dangerous items. Also, in severely abused kids, they can make false allegations, so your reputation is something to consider. I would never ever ever as a single parent take in any child because of this. I've seen too many times kids get mad and make up a story that could not be true.

People love to assume caretakers are At Fault when things go wrong, because there are many who do not do a good job. But the good ones I think are at risk. I am saying a lot, but keep in mind I only work with behavioral kids. So I'm seeing the worst cases. There are many sweet kids who need good homes. Just insist on taking basic children. Anything beyond that could be dangerous.