Is being a foster parent considered working w/underserved?

[TweekTweak]

My spouse and I recently became foster parents for our state, and we’ve already had a few kids come through our home for respite or temporary placement. Is fostering children (of all races) considered working with the underserved? I definitely didn’t become a foster parent to “check” any box (trust me it can be very difficult caring for children who’ve come from a traumatic situation), but rather because my state of residence is in desperate need for more licensed foster homes and we have the means to help these children. I’m curious how adcoms would view being a foster parent.

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[siliso]

Can’t see why it wouldn’t be. It surely does demonstrate commitment to serving people in need, and would be an interesting and unusual pursuit to discuss in your application.

 

[500miles]

I guarantee it can only look good unless you really botch how you explain why you became a foster parent. In my opinion, there is not much of a greater service you could do than take care of those kids. Thank you!

 

[DelayedGratification]

I honestly wouldn't use the word underserved when you talk about it. What you are doing is admirable; just speak about it with as much passion as I am sure you have, and let the reader make his/her opinion.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Listing it as an EC kind of puts a bad taste in my mouth. You can make it a talking point in your PS. But I would recommend that you don’t list it as an EC.

 

[TweekTweak]

Listing it as an EC kind of puts a bad taste in my mouth. You can make it a talking point in your PS. But I would recommend that you don’t list it as an EC.

Really? Why do you think it shouldn't be listed as an EC? Isn't the purpose of EC's to talk/show where and how you've been giving back to your community? While these kids are treated as if they are our own child when they are placed in our home, they are legally dependents of the state and the whole process of reunification or termination of parental rights is determined by a judge. Parental reunification is the primary goal of the court and I have no say in the final decision - my only purpose is to provide a loving and stable home while in our care.

 

[siliso]

It actually seems like calling it an EC along with being prez of the booster club or whatever would be trivializing. It’s part of your life experience, but I wonder if there’s not a better place to talk about it. Like your PS.

 

[500miles]

Listing it as an EC kind of puts a bad taste in my mouth. You can make it a talking point in your PS. But I would recommend that you don’t list it as an EC.

Actually now that I think about it you might be right. This is far beyond an EC.

Try to get it into your personal statement! It would be amazing there I think

 

[TweekTweak]

It will definitely be a paragraph in my PS, no doubt about that! But it's part of my life in addition to helping my community and the children within. I actually became a foster parent after seeing a plea on social media last year of a current foster parent talking about how there are young children staying in hotel rooms with their social worker because there aren't enough foster homes in the state.

If you don't recommend listing it as an EC, what about schools such as Rush that like to quantify their applicants community service by using the EC hours?

 

[ciestar]

It will definitely be a paragraph in my PS, no doubt about that! But it's part of my life in addition to helping my community and the children within. I actually became a foster parent after seeing a plea on social media last year of a current foster parent talking about how there are young children staying in hotel rooms with their social worker because there aren't enough foster homes in the state.

If you don't recommend listing it as an EC, what about schools such as Rush that like to quantify their applicants community service by using the EC hours?

I for real would not consider it an EC and placing it as such would rub some people the wrong way. Use your secondaries to talk about this, you can bring a lot to the table to any school experience wise.

 

[DubbiDoctor]

It will definitely be a paragraph in my PS, no doubt about that! But it's part of my life in addition to helping my community and the children within. I actually became a foster parent after seeing a plea on social media last year of a current foster parent talking about how there are young children staying in hotel rooms with their social worker because there aren't enough foster homes in the state.

If you don't recommend listing it as an EC, what about schools such as Rush that like to quantify their applicants community service by using the EC hours?

Despite the impressive and admirable amount of time you've put into fostering, you'll need to do other volunteering that is more suitable to quantification - like volunteering in an ED or soup kitchen. You can write about fostering in your secondaries, but calling it an EC activity and assigning an hour count to it may give adcoms the impression that you were doing it simply to make yourself more competitive. That's understandable as it to pertains more traditional volunteering but not for letting struggling children into your home.

 

[gyngyn]

Being a parent is not an EC.

 

[TweekTweak]

It's interesting because I did a quick SDN search on "respite" and it seems the consensus from past posts is that providing respite to the caretaker of an ill, disabled, or home-bound person is considered a non-clinical EC. As in my first post, I only provide respite for children (have done respite the past two weekends for foster children) and short-term/temporary placement. If respite for a caretaker of an ill/disabled adult qualifies as an EC, how would respite or temporary/emergency care for a child not qualify under the same criteria? In order to provide respite for a dependent of the state, for >72 hours, I am required to be a licensed foster home. I do not take in long-term placements - only respite or temporary/emergency care (which means care immediately after they are removed while the state is trying to find a long-term placement home).

 

[DubbiDoctor]

It's interesting because I did a quick SDN search on "respite" and it seems the consensus from past posts is that providing respite to the caretaker of an ill, disabled, or home-bound person is considered a non-clinical EC. As in my first post, I only provide respite for children (have done respite the past two weekends for foster children) and short-term/temporary placement. If respite for a caretaker of an ill/disabled adult qualifies as an EC, how would respite or temporary/emergency care for a child not qualify under the same criteria? In order to provide respite for a dependent of the state, for >72 hours, I am required to be a licensed foster home. I do not take in long-term placements - only respite or temporary/emergency care (which means care immediately after they are removed while the state is trying to find a long-term placement home).

The concern here is if just about everyone on SDN, including a med school faculty member, takes issue with you listing fostering as an EC, believing that it's too serious an obligation to list an an EC activity, then adcoms may too. So why risk it? Paging @LizzyM @Goro - what would you think if you read OP's application listing his fostering as an EC?

 

[Goro]

My spouse and I recently became foster parents for our state, and we’ve already had a few kids come through our home for respite or temporary placement. Is fostering children (of all races) considered working with the underserved? I definitely didn’t become a foster parent to “check” any box (trust me it can be very difficult caring for children who’ve come from a traumatic situation), but rather because my state of residence is in desperate need for more licensed foster homes and we have the means to help these children. I’m curious how adcoms would view being a foster parent.

This would make a great interview question.
Whether it's working with the underserved or not, it's a very noble service EC.

 

[curbsideconsult]

It's interesting because I did a quick SDN search on "respite" and it seems the consensus from past posts is that providing respite to the caretaker of an ill, disabled, or home-bound person is considered a non-clinical EC. As in my first post, I only provide respite for children (have done respite the past two weekends for foster children) and short-term/temporary placement. If respite for a caretaker of an ill/disabled adult qualifies as an EC, how would respite or temporary/emergency care for a child not qualify under the same criteria? In order to provide respite for a dependent of the state, for >72 hours, I am required to be a licensed foster home. I do not take in long-term placements - only respite or temporary/emergency care (which means care immediately after they are removed while the state is trying to find a long-term placement home).

I think what you're doing is great! I agree that there's a difference between being a foster parent full-time and providing respite. I don't think there's much of a difference between being a respite caretaker versus pulling a 48+ hour shift in a group home where you sleep and provide meals and basically act as a parent.

If you're not going to talk at length about this experience in your PS, I would think that you could list this in the Work/Activities section and mark this as one of your most significant experiences. You could explain that you don't feel right calling it just an activity but you wanted to include it as part of your application because it had a major impact on your life.

 

[LizzyM]

I'm going to assume that you are paid by the state for this service. I would therefore recommend that if you must list it that you list it as employment. I would not call it volunteer, non-clinical community service.

Why do I feel, for a moment, like King Solomon? 😉

 

[TweekTweak]

I'm going to assume that you are paid by the state for this service. I would therefore recommend that if you must list it that you list it as employment. I would not call it volunteer, non-clinical community service.

We actually are not paid, but that is by choice. We opted out of being paid for providing respite to foster children. We just don’t feel like accepting money from the state foster care system that we don’t personally need, as we are financially stable. Would that still be consider paid if we opted out? Kind of a weird scenario.

 

[LizzyM]

We actually are not paid, but that is by choice. We opted out of being paid for providing respite to foster children. We just don’t feel like accepting money from the state foster care system that we don’t personally need, as we are financially stable. Would that still be consider paid if we opted out? Kind of a weird scenario.

Well, that is strange because you are eligible for a payment from the state but handing the money back to the taxpayers of the state, so to speak. Because foster parents are usually paid, most adcoms would assume that you are paid. I suppose the best way around it would be to list it as "other" and then describe that you a foster parent for short-term respite and emergency situations and that you choose not to accept compensation from the state for your efforts with these children who are in dire circumstances.

 

[BombsAway]

Absolutely list it as one of your amcas experiences! Just take care in how you classify it, as LizzyM has already touched on.

Also, Thank You!

 

[siliso]

Just had a thought that if you want a straight up uncontroversial EC to list you could participate in or lead some support or training group for other foster parents. You might already anyway.

 

[OchemOficionado]

It will definitely be a paragraph in my PS, no doubt about that! But it's part of my life in addition to helping my community and the children within. I actually became a foster parent after seeing a plea on social media last year of a current foster parent talking about how there are young children staying in hotel rooms with their social worker because there aren't enough foster homes in the state.

If you don't recommend listing it as an EC, what about schools such as Rush that like to quantify their applicants community service by using the EC hours?

Lol, how do you plan on determining your hours for this EC? Do you count when you and the child were both sleeping?

This is silly.

**EDIT: Ok, I feel bad after reading your reply saying you only do this in emergency situations and for 72 hours or less. I guess that answers my question 🙂

 

[TweekTweak]

Just had a thought that if you want a straight up uncontroversial EC to list you could participate in or lead some support or training group for other foster parents. You might already anyway.

Yes we attend a monthly support group for foster parents, as well as the first court session that is held within 72 hours of removal for the emergency placements we take in.

I honestly never expected being a respite foster parent and helping these kids would be so controversial with regard to listing as an EC. I never thought that an EC could be “too good” to list in the AMCAS. Guess I’ll have to give it some thought given everyone’s comments.

 

[TweekTweak]

Lol, how do you plan on determining your hours for this EC? Do you count when you and the child were sleeping?

This is silly.

When providing respite for a child in the system it is for a set number of pre-arranged days and is tracked by myself and the state.

 

[OchemOficionado]

When providing respite for a child in the system it is for a set number of pre-arranged days and is tracked by myself and the state.

I edited my post as you were quoting. Sorry!

I don't think parenting, even if temporary, should be a EC with tracked hours but I do think this has a place in your application!

 

[TweekTweak]

I edited my post as you were quoting. Sorry!

I don't think parenting, even if temporary, should be a EC with tracked hours but I do think this has a place in your application!

No worries 🙂 I guess others see it as parenting because we are called foster parents, although technically the state calls us ‘Caregivers’. But we are not a long-term or adoptive placement home, we only do emergency & respite. These children HAVE parents, and most kids in the system have visits multiple times a week with their birth parents. Parental reunification is the primary goal of the court. So I hardly see myself as their “parent”, but it seems others do. I see myself more as a temporary caregiver/home.

 

[3toedsloth]

Foster parents provide a REALLY hard to provide service. In my work, I've worked with several children who were placed in foster care. Often times, these homes are a million times worse than the child's family home-----you tried to provide something better and fill this need. It's not easy for kids to be removed from their homes by CPS. As a foster parent, you took care of children while they were being physically or sexually abused or when they were being severely neglected. It's a huge service to humanity. List it. Explain it well, because as you can see from the responses, many people completely misunderstand what is involved in being a foster parent. Contrary to what has been suggested bu some other posters, it's NOT regular parenting and it most definitely is NOT employment.

Good for you for being a foster parent. This is not the typical BS premed volunteering where you sit there playing Angry Birds in the corner of the food shelf, waiting for your shift to end. We need more people who are willing to step up and REALLY help the community.

Anyone who says that providing temporary relief for abused and neglected children isn't a solid EC has no idea what they're talking about.


Edit: I am happy to help you review/revise your description of the activity when you're preparing your application. I absolutely think you SHOULD include this activity in your ECs list.

 

[TweekTweak]

Foster parents provide a REALLY hard to provide service. In my work, I've worked with several children who were placed in foster care. Often times, these homes are a million times worse than the child's family home-----you tried to provide something better and fill this need. It's not easy for kids to be removed from their homes by CPS. As a foster parent, you took care of children while they were being physically or sexually abused or when they were being severely neglected. It's a huge service to humanity. List it, but because the hours are variable perhaps put zero hours and then explain. Explain it well, because as you can see from the responses, many people completely misunderstand what is involved in being a foster parent. Contrary to what has been suggested bu some other posters, it's NOT regular parenting and it most definitely is NOT employment.

Good for you for being a foster parent. This is not the typical BS premed volunteering where you sit there playing Angry Birds in the corner of the food shelf, waiting for your shift to end. We need more people who are willing to step up and REALLY help the community.

I really appreciate your response. It can be very difficult to explain being a foster parent to children in the foster care system and dealing with the emotional/physical trauma the child has just experienced. We’ve had children through our home that have experienced everything from sexual abuse, born addicted to drugs, physical abuse, etc. I was very surprised how many others viewed it as just regular “parenting”, so it makes me nervous adcoms will view it the same way.

We had to go through extensive training, interviews, monthly home visits, etc. There’s a saying in the foster care system: you have to be an A+ to be a foster parent but a C- to be a parent.

 

[OchemOficionado]

I really appreciate your response. It can be very difficult to explain being a foster parent to children in the foster care system and dealing with the emotional/physical trauma the child has just experienced. We’ve had children through our home that have experienced everything from sexual abuse, born addicted to drugs, physical abuse, etc. I was very surprised how many others viewed it as just regular “parenting”, so it makes me nervous adcoms will view it the same way.

As someone that was in foster care for several years, it didn’t seem much different than regular parenting (Especially in the homes that had their own kids). When I first read your post I was answering from a place of, “Dang, what if my foster parents but me down on an app as an EC”. Lol. But, what makes sets you apart from most foster parents, or the idea of foster parents that many of us have in our minds, is that you turn down the paycheck and solely house emergency placements for 72 ish hours.

You should mention this in your app. WHERE you do so likely won’t make or break your app.

 

[3toedsloth]

I really appreciate your response. It can be very difficult to explain being a foster parent to children in the foster care system and dealing with the emotional/physical trauma the child has just experienced. We’ve had children through our home that have experienced everything from sexual abuse, born addicted to drugs, physical abuse, etc. I was very surprised how many others viewed it as just regular “parenting”, so it makes me nervous adcoms will view it the same way.

We had to go through extensive training, interviews, monthly home visits, etc. There’s a saying in the foster care system: you have to be an A+ to be a foster parent but a C- to be a parent.

Right. Do you know how many premeds engage in "voluntourism" and go hang out in "orphanages" in Africa? They list that **** and Adcoms eat it up, even though they are subsidizing the trafficking of children and the orphanage industry.

You provide an incredible service to children that have ZERO relation to you, and towards whom you have ZERO obligation. It's service. I volunteer at a hospital and I take the free parking and free lunch without considering it "employment." I think you can fairly consider this activity "volunteering," even if you were to receive a subsidy for expenses that you incur.

I wouldn't use the term "foster parent," given all the confusion it causes. People easily confuse biological, adoptive, and foster parents. Perhaps you can use "State Appointed Emergency Caregiver," "Temporary Alternative Caregiver," or something along those lines that more clearly describes your role.

 

[TweekTweak]

As someone that was in foster care for several years, it didn’t seem much different than regular parenting (Especially in the homes that had their own kids). When I first read your post I was answering from a place of, “Dang, what if my foster parents but me down on an app as an EC”. Lol. But, what makes sets you apart from most foster parents, or the idea of foster parents that many of us have in our minds, is that you turn down the paycheck and solely house emergency placements for 72 ish hours.

You should mention this in your app. WHERE you do so likely won’t make or break your app.

Every foster parent *should* treat a foster child as if he/she is their own, regardless of whether the child is in their care 72 hours or 1 year. This is the first thing we learn in training. And yes we personally don’t accept the money because we only foster for short-term, but it’s a stretch to call it a “paycheck” when it’s not considered income per the tax law. Foster parents with a long-term placement get reimbursed ~$500/month to buy food, diapers, clothing, supplies, etc for a foster child. Age or medical factors can increase that amount though. But considering how costly children are that reimbursement amount doesn’t typically cover all the child’s needs. Our friend fosters an infant and they spend WAY more out of their own pocket (diapers are expensive!) than they get reimbursed. Foster parents don’t even get their first reimbursement until at least 45-60 days after receiving the child...the state isn’t exactly quick with things 🙂

EDIT: foster care reimbursement is not considered gross income so long as it comes from a state agency.

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

You could always just email a couple of the schools your interested in applying to and just say "I've received some conflicting advise on whether or not my time as a Foster Parents should be discussed as a EC." and then explain to them the way you've explained it here and see what they say.

 

[TweekTweak]

You could always just email a couple of the schools your interested in applying to and just say "I've received some conflicting advise on whether or not my time as a Foster Parents should be discussed as a EC." and then explain to them the way you've explained it here and see what they say.

That’s a great idea, I think I will do that this next week.

I appreciate everyone’s suggestions thus far, thank you.

 

[libertyyne]

Its technically a Job , an admirable one , but still a job that the state pays you , but you refuse reimbursement.
A few intrusive questions
what happens if you get accepted to an out of state school?
would the foster kids move with you or do you have to transfer them to another family?
Why not take the money from the state and give it to the children if they are teenage or close to teenage?
Why not completely adopt?

I would personally list it as employment, because listing it as anything else would raise eyebrows. You could even write in the blurb you dont take payment,which is admirable but still raises questions.

 

[OchemOficionado]

Every foster parent *should* treat a foster child as if he/she is their own, regardless of whether the child is in their care 72 hours or 1 year. This is the first thing we learn in training. And yes we personally don’t accept the money because we only foster for short-term, but it’s a stretch to call it a “paycheck” when it’s not considered income per the tax law. Foster parents with a long-term placement get reimbursed ~$500/month to buy food, diapers, clothing, supplies, etc for a foster child. Age or medical factors can increase that amount though. But considering how costly children are that reimbursement amount doesn’t typically cover all the child’s needs. Our friend fosters an infant and they spend WAY more out of their own pocket (diapers are expensive!) than they get reimbursed. Foster parents don’t even get their first reimbursement until at least 45-60 days after receiving the child...the state isn’t exactly quick with things 🙂

EDIT: foster care reimbursement is not considered gross income so long as it comes from a state agency.

That’s neither here nor there. I wasn’t implying anything negative about the paycheck/funds/monies whatever we call it that foster parents receive. I’m sure the majority of foster parents aren’t rolling in the dough due to this, but let’s not pretend that we haven’t heard the horror stories of people that are driven to foster for the money.

 

[TweekTweak]

Its technically a Job , an admirable one , but still a job that the state pays you , but you refuse reimbursement.
A few intrusive questions
what happens if you get accepted to an out of state school?
would the foster kids move with you or do you have to transfer them to another family?
Why not take the money from the state and give it to the children if they are teenage or close to teenage?
Why not completely adopt?

I would personally list it as employment, because listing it as anything else would raise eyebrows. You could even write in the blurb you dont take payment,which is admirable but still raises questions.

Per the tax law, reimbursement by a state agency to a foster parent is not considered gross income. So I would hesitate to call it “employment”. I work a full-time job and that’s my employment. Are there people that likely abuse the foster care system and take in kids just for the reimbursement? Probably. But it’s not why I do it and thus far haven’t met any other foster parent that does. It would probably be more money to go work a minimum wage job! The reimbursement rates are low compared to the cost of caring for a child.

You’re not being intrusive at all 🙂 To answer your questions, we are not a long-term or adoptive home. We only take children on short-term basis (usually around 72 hours or shorter) so what you are describing would not happen in the event we move out of state. We do not have biological children, and are not sure we ever will, but we saw a need for foster homes in our community and we have the means to help these kids temporarily so that’s why we became foster parents.

 

[okdna]

I honestly wouldn't use the word underserved when you talk about it. What you are doing is admirable; just speak about it with as much passion as I am sure you have, and let the reader make his/her opinion.

Why not use the word "underserved?"

 

[BombsAway]

I can’t belive the nonsense I’m reading in this thread. The “EC’s”, as we call them on amcas, are experiences. They serve to paint a broader picture of who you are and how you spend your limited time. I know people who listed fostering dogs and cats as an EC, and you people are giving this dude crap? Jesus.

OP, don’t listen to any of this nonsense. SDN is a bubble. Screeners and interviewers are real people who value compassion, sacrifice, maturity, and service.

This is absolutely 1 of your 15 experiences on amcas. Maybe even 1/3 MM.

You will do well when you apply. Until then, I’m happy to help you review, edit, or whatever else. Thank you for your genuine service to your community.