Once you are approved as a foster parent, several factors will determine when you will receive a child. Some of these factors are the number of children in your area who need a foster family at a given time and the age range, gender, and other characteristics of children that you have been approved to care for. If time allows, the case manager will work with you in advance of the child’s placement. When a child is removed from his or her home after regular business hours, he or she will be brought to your home after receiving a brief call from the agency or other emergency placement personnel along with the DFCS case manager. The child’s case manager should always share with foster parents all available information pertaining to the child and his or her unique situation, including a completed Foster Child Information Sheet (Appendix B) and Match Screening Summary that specifies: 

• Why the child is being placed in care 

• The child’s placement history, if applicable 

• The child’s portion of his or her current case plan 

• Grade level and educational challenges and successes

• The child’s expected ability to adjust to his or her new environment, including behavioral patterns, and prior experiences with parents and/or other caregivers 

• Medical history and specific health-related needs 

• Special instructions regarding dietary restrictions, medical needs, emotional wellbeing, etc. 

• The child’s eating and sleeping patterns 

• Information about the child’s siblings or other significant individuals in his or her life 

• The child’s Life Book