When one hears the term “foster care,” a few images come to mind. Some picture the troubled kid that has the world against him/her, always fighting because that is all they know. Others see the child that never got a chance, and whose parents are either involved in drugs or in some trouble with the law. Some may see a good kid that just never got a chance.
Whatever the image is, at the end of the day there is a child in need, and who is there to provide the help?
That’s where Utah Foster Care comes into play. At any given time in the Eastern Region (where Carbon and Emery counties are located) there are 100 kids in need of a family to give them the help they need, with only 20 families in the area available to give assistance. It’s not very difficult to become a Foster Family either, it just takes a little bit of time.
To begin, they will run a background check to ensure you are who you say you are, make sure that the family is financially stable, and to make sure there is space available at the home for a child. After the initial consultation with a Utah Foster Care (UFC) staff member, they will schedule an in-home consultation where they can meet you face to face.
Right along with this meeting, the staff member will inspect your home, making sure it is a safe location for children. This includes basic safety information, such as having smoke alarms installed and working, fire extinguishers available, and other safety precautions such as having firearms locked away.
If foster care is deemed as a good fit, then they will invite you to attend pre-service training classes to begin to licensing process. The 32-hour training sessions are free and available every three months, with the next session beginning in July. The certification last for 24 months and will need to be renewed every two years.
After the family is deemed a fit, then the organization will begin to look for a child to place into the home. The family can choose the age group they prefer, along with if they prefer a male of female, or any behavioral or emotional problems the child may have. Usually, UFC prefers to place children in families that are directly related to their own, whether it be an aunt, uncle, cousin, grandma or grandpa, but if none are available then they will place the child is the best match they can. They prefer to keep siblings together if they can, as to avoid causing any trauma to the child that is unnecessary.
If everything matches up correctly, then the office will notify the family and begin the process to bring the child into the family’s home.
Kobi Prettyman is a staff member at the local Utah Foster Care office in Price, and she maintains a foster family as well. She has taken in children from newborns to teenagers up to 18 years old. “People tend to focus on younger children, but there are teenagers that need help too,” she said. “Children in foster care are just as diverse as children anywhere, and each need that support to help them make it through. The most rewarding experience is being able to assist a child that is in need. And as difficult as it is to let them go, it is also one of the most rewarding feelings one can ever experience.”
Prettyman likened foster care to a divorce, saying that there are parents on both sides that each want the best for the child, and the way to make sure that everything ideal happens is for both sides to work together. Only then can things happen for the best, and ideally allowing the child and the family to be brought together once again.
Brett Cammans, a local resident and foster family as well, was selected as the Eastern Region’s “Foster Father of the Year.” He has been involved with the foster program for four years now, being involved in over 20 kids lives over that four year period, along with an adoption that will be taking place in August. “I almost feel like adopting all of the children,” he said jokingly. “It’s all about the kids, and it is such a rewarding experience. I’ve always enjoyed working with children, and after having different children in your home, you honestly begin to fall in love with all of them.” Cammans started off working with the Fire Department. After a few calls that involved children, it struck him that helping children in troubled situations is something that he wanted to do. When asked how he felt about being selected as “Foster Father of the Year”, he replied “They must not have had many to select from,” showing his humble demeanor. He has generally worked with children 10 years and younger, and really hopes to see more families become involved in the program as time goes on. “It’s a really rewarding experience. There are lots of kids out there that need help, and to be able to lend that helping hand is rewarding in of itself. Everyone deserves and opportunity to create a positive change in their life. Its so nice to see these kids get that opportunity and then apply it to their lives. I like to think that when they become parents themselves, they will remember the help they received and in turn help others when they can.”
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