LUBBOCK, Texas — Following several messages concerning a newborn baby girl left at a fire station Tuesday, EverythingLubbock.com decided to look into the process of becoming a foster/adoptive parent.
Ashley Cross, director of foster care with Children’s Home of Lubbock, said the process takes approximately three to four months.
“We do our best to really make sure our foster families have a really good picture of what it is to be a foster parent and some of the challenges that come along with it,” Cross said.
To get started on the process, prospective parents must attend an information meeting.
After meeting basic requirements, persons will meet with Department of Family and Protective Services for an assessment.
Parents also must undergo training, and complete a family home study.
“You have to be licensed because when the baby was dropped off at the fire station, CPS was involved,” Cross said. “They took custody of the child, so then they become the parent essentially. They are the ones to figure out where the child is going to go.”
Shane Moran has been a foster parent for more than five years.
“The nineteen kids that we’ve had in our home, every one of them has a different story,” Moran said.
Moran said the process is not too difficult. However, she said it is time consuming.
“It’s not easy work [being a foster parent], but it’s the most rewarding thing,” Moran said.
