As children grow and mature, they develop an increasing need for independence and self-fulfillment. One means of satisfying these natural developmental needs is through the acquisition of independently earned income – or employment. As a foster parent, you will play a major role in deciding whether employment is the appropriate plan for a teen in your home. The youth’s case manager will assist you in assessing the child’s overall situation before the two of you come to a mutual decision in the matter. Whenever possible, the birth parents should be involved in the decision. 

Use the following questions as a guide in deciding whether employment is appropriate for the teen in your home. 

• Will working interfere with the child’s school schedule and completion of his homework? 
• Has the teen generally been responsible in the past? 
•  Will the work hours allow the child adequate rest, recreation, time to complete homework assignments, etc.? 
• Is the work environment conducive to his development? 
• With the feeling of growing independence, will the teen still be willing to be accountable to you and the case manager? 
• How will his being employed affect his Medicaid and IV-E eligibility? 

If you and the Case Manager decide that employment is feasible for the teen, it will be your responsibility as an ongoing caregiver to watch for positive and negative changes in attitude and behavior and convey these to the Case Manager. The two of you will decide as to the present and future benefits the child will derive from his employment. Having a part-time job will provide a great opportunity for teens to begin learning how to save and budget. Children and youth are expected as a “family members” to perform routing chores in the home. However, this expectation is not appropriate if the work consumes so much time that the teen is unable to seek employment outside the home. Youth should be reasonably and justly compensated for working in a business that is owned or run exclusively by the foster parents. The decision as to reasonable compensation should be determined jointly by the foster parent, Case Manager, and the youth.

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