If you’ve considered becoming a foster parent, chances are you’ve heard that they get paid. Maybe it was a friend of a friend who assured you that compensation for foster parents is provided by the state, or perhaps you read somewhere that there were people who became foster parents for the money. To answer your question, yes, foster parents are given a check by the government every month according to Adoption. With that said, though, you still need to run the numbers.
Compensation Varies Based on Different Factors
It needs to be said that being a foster parent is not a job; you don’t earn a paycheck for providing childcare. Rather, the government gives compensation for foster parents through tax-exempt payment to help you care for your foster children. And that compensation will vary depending on a lot of different factors.
One of the biggest factors is where you live, and how robust the government budget is in your state. However, other factors such as the age of the child (older children tend to come with bigger expenses, and thus more compensation), or whether the child has any special needs, also factor into what compensation for foster parents is given every month.
It’s also important to remember that this compensation (even in states where it’s fairly generous) is never enough to cover all the costs of raising a child, much less for foster parents to make a profit off of the endeavor. So, while foster parents might be getting paid in a technical sense, no one offers to foster for the money. The monthly checks are only there to help make becoming a foster parent more accessible to people who might not otherwise be able to afford to take in a child, even if they truly wish to.
Learn More About Compensation for Foster Parents
For more information about becoming a foster parent, all you have to do is contact us today!