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I get questions all the time about traveling with foster kids and if it’s allowed. The Short answer: Of course! But there are a few things you have to do and keep in mind before traveling with your foster kids. So I decided I’d share all the questions and answers to get you ready for your trip.
Traveling With Your Foster Kids
Related: Hyatt House Orange County
Can we travel with our Foster Kids?
Yes! One of the first questions asked at our County Orientation was ” Can we travel with our foster kids?” And they replied with an “Absolutely.” They went into more detail saying they want the kids to feel like part of the family and included in everyday things, especially traveling. Aside from the scheduled visits, appointments and court dates, these kiddos become a part of your everyday life. They quickly feel like family, you have dinner together, you visit family together and they are involved in everything you do. So why not include them in a fun vacation.
What do you have to do to prepare before traveling with your foster Child?
There are a few things to keep in mind before scheduling your trip. Depending on where you are going you may need to consider if there is a court date coming up that you may want to be around for. If you plan on traveling out of State there may be some paperwork you need to file so give yourself ample time to plan for any delays. If you are having a Stay-cation then that shouldn’t be a problem but always double check with your case manager and social worker. But if you plan to travel across or even out of the country you may want to consider timing. You also need to communicate thoroughly with all parties involved. Social workers, Bio parents possibly even the kids attorney depending on what is going on.
Depending on your case and county you may need to get bio parents permission before traveling out of state or country. If they do not grant permission you can work with your social workers, case managers and even child’s attorney to come to an agreement.
What Information do I need to provide?
Now that you know who you have to tell about your travels there is some information you have to provide. For safety reasons you only have to let the social workers know where you are going. But they may require extra information, for example, flight information, hotel you’ll be staying in, day you leave for your trip & day you arrive.
They want to make sure they have every bit of information they need in case there is an emergency and just for their report. As far as the bio parents you just want to let them you’ll be out of town and on what dates especially if visits fall within that time. Keep in mind you will need to make up those hours of missed visits but that shouldn’t be a problem.
What information do I need to take?
We have yet to travel across the country with the boys but even the small occasions we go out of our county we take our foster care paper work. Just some documentation stating who they are to us. Something with our names and their names on it in case anything were to happen. I don’t know if this is necessary but we want to make sure we have everything we need to make things run smoothly.
Questions to ask yourself before traveling with your Foster kids
I can’t say enough how important it is to include your foster children into your traveling plans. It allows for a sense of normalcy and makes them feel like part of the family. But there are some things to consider. Remember kiddos in foster care come from a background of trauma so it’s important to know if and what will trigger any traumatic experiences. So before you and your partner plan a trip ask yourselves these questions to make sure you plan a trip that will be fun and beneficial for your foster children.
- Is this vacation going to be good for our foster child?
- Will this trip be appropriate for their age?
- Will it cause trauma or trigger any behaviors that you or the child may not be able to handle?
- Did I tell and get approval from the appropriate parties?
- Do I have all the paperwork needed required for approval for traveling?
- Did I prepare my kiddo for this trip? Especially if we are going to meet family they never met?
Keep in mind these kiddos have probably moved from house to house before living with you. So meeting new people can be triggering so make sure you communicate with your foster kiddo who they will be meeting and reassure them you will be there with them and you all will come home together.
I know this is a lot more work but it is so important to make sure the kids feel safe and everyone is on the same page.
In Summary
In summary, you may have to fill out paperwork for approval and records. You will need to let case managers, bio parents, social workers and maybe their attorney know about your trip. It is so important to prepare the kids of this trip in case it causes any behavioral issues based on past traumatic experiences. The goal is to make the kiddos as comfortable as possible with the idea of traveling together for the first time.
