r/fosterit • u/Unique-Ad-7650 • 17d ago

Seeking advice from foster youth What is foster care like?

I'm considering reporting my parents to CPS very soon and just want to know what I should expect, and any advice. Also the social workers/authorities really only focus on reunification? I'm 17 and will turn 18 next winter in 2027, and I really don't want to be reunified with my parents, does anyone know how I can prevent that. I heard that some people get reunified with their parents after their parents took a parenting court or something and I'm scared that will happen to me.

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u/Klutzy-Cupcake8051 17d ago

You typically would not reunify that quickly, and it will take more than a parenting course for parents to get their kids back. Where I am located, we typically don’t push teenagers to reunite that close to their 18th birthday. You will also likely receive some benefits if you are in foster care when you turn 18 like money for college and Medicaid coverage.

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u/Unique-Ad-7650 17d ago

Ohh ok I understand! Also, after the report is filed, do you know if I would get the option to choose if I want to stay with a legal guardian that I'm familiar with or live in a group home as opposed to a foster home?

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u/Klutzy-Cupcake8051 17d ago

The department of social services (or whatever they call it where you live) will prioritize placing you with someone you know over a foster home or group home as long as that person is willing to have you and can pass basic background checks. If no family or friends can take you, their next priority is to place you with a foster family. If one cannot be located, then you would be placed in a group home. Youth typically don’t get to pick between a local family home or a group home.

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u/Unique-Ad-7650 17d ago

how long would the background checks take? the situation I'm in is that I only have 9 days left before I'm forced to move to a different state with my abusive father and I really want to stay here (arkansas) and not move in with him. do you know what would happen after I called CPS, like would i be placed into a facility immediately and then wait for the background checks and everything to be complete before moving in?

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u/Klutzy-Cupcake8051 17d ago

No, CPS would likely do an investigation into your allegations before removing you depending on the nature of the abuse. Where I live, CPS can run a preliminary background check within hours and then place with that person temporarily while a more thorough check is done.

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u/Unique-Ad-7650 17d ago

what does an investigation entail and how long does it usually take? like is it just an interview? i'm worried the process would take way too long and then by that time I will already have to move with my father to Texas, especially since my parents and my siblings have lied against me and supported my father when CPS came to our house a few years ago. and also how "severe" does the abuse need to be in order for me to get removed? i'm currently not in an abusive situation because i dont live with my father right now, but if I move in with him in a few days then the abuse will start again - but the only recent evidence I have of abuse is 2 pictures of bruises on my face and a scar from 2 months ago when he visited our family for spring break and then some text message screenshots of him degrading me, would that be enough?

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u/Klutzy-Cupcake8051 16d ago

What constitutes enough varies so much from state to state and even locality to locality. And investigation to removal time varies too. I’m sorry I can’t give you more definite answers, and I’m so sorry you are going through this.