Vol. 2, No. 2 • Spring 1998

New Handbook Explains Foster Care to Birth Parents

Published in May 1998, the handbook is available at county departments of social services in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Division of Social Services has published a new handbook for parents whose children have entered the foster care system. In addition to explaining why children are placed in foster care, how DSS and court work, and the rights and responsibilities of birth parents and their children, the handbook puts special emphasis on the fact that birth parents and foster parents are on the same team. It states that "next to you, [foster parents] may know more about your children than anyone else, since they are providing their day-to-day care," and encourages birth parents to support foster parents ans provide them with information (such as food restrictions, health and school information, likes and dislikes, special fears, etx.) that will help them make a child's adjustment to foster care much easier.

Copyright � 2000 Jordan Institute for Families