in order to become foster parents we had to show that Miriam's vaccines are up to date. We don't do some of them, but they didn't seem to notice.
However, I think you HAVE to vax foster kids. They aren't yours, they are the state's and the state is not going to choose to not vax. I was surprised at how many things I don't get a say in as far as foster children go.
I think getting even an exemption for your own kids while trying to foster would be a PITA in Indiana...but I know other states are nicer about non-vaxing.
Good luck.
Jeni
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Mama to Alex, Miriam and Noah; Wife to Chris.
Alex and Miriam, off to Kindergarten. August 18, 2008
Missing Hazel Irene, born still on April 18, 2008. A Broken Hallelujah
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I understand that you would want the best for all the children in your care. I just want to add one thing: Please consider all the wonderful things you could do for this child by allowing him/her to temporarily join your family, all the things this child would learn from you that could make a difference in his/her life.
Yes, you would not be able to nurse the child. Yes, you would have to allow the child to be immunized. But, that is going to be the case for that child no matter what home they go to. Think about the child and what you and your family could do to help that child in all the other many areas of his/her life. That child needs you and your love even moreso with all of the things that he/she will be missing out on.
Lisha - did you have to prove your children were vaxed as well?
I never even considered this. I knew we would have to get a foster child vaxed - but only my oldest has had vaccinations - and we quite those at 2. I am scared to death of gettiing my kids vaccinated. As much as I want to foster I dont know that I could vaccinate my biological children.sigh...........
yes we had to vax our foster child. no we did not have to prove my others were vaxed (and they weren't). we adopted our foster child and stopped vax's at 1 year (last set before adoption).
I would never not take a child just because of that...it's just an issue that I'm uncomfortable with. I did think of that yesterday--that the child would be formula fed and vax'd no matter where he/she went and if we were to adopt, we could then decide to cease the vaxes.
Originally posted by ~*~Sunflower~*~ Lisha - did you have to prove your children were vaxed as well?
We had to complete a medical form, signed by their physician saying they were healthy, etc. Since they are both fully-vaxed, it wasn't an issue for us and I do not even remember if that specifically was on the form. I assume it was. However, I do not remember if that part was required, or if they just required the information on a form. I will look into that. I think what they are looking for is confirmation that the other people in the home are healthy and without communicable diseases.
In NJ they require you to vax until the adoption is finalized. They are also considering requiring medical updates AFTER adoption is complete due to several publicized cases of kids being abused after they were adopted.
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Christine
Proud mom of Daniel and Abigail 6/21/02
Loving wife to Hugo 9/20/98
You don't have to vax YOUR children..........they will ask for "proof" of your kids' vaxes, and if you don't you can just submit your exemption letter. That's what I did. I'm in Arizona, and we have all three exemptions, and it was totally easy. In states with only religious/medical, you'll just have to submit your religious exemption.
Now, you do have to vax foster kids (unless their bio-parents object to them). I *thought* that I'd be okay with this. But I couldn't do it. I had a preemie, tiny, drug exposed newborn, and there was no way in hell I could go take her to the doc and have that crap injected into her. Yes, I know that all the good I would do for her would outweigh the negatives of the vaxes, but I couldn't in good concience do it. I had her moved, and will no longer take newborns/infants.....only kids older than 3. I could do the vaxes with an older child, as they are able to verbalize if they have a reaction.......you know? I still don't want to, but I could. Most older kids are already utd on the vaxes, so it isn't as much of an issue.
I also had a problem with not cosleeping. I was okay with the not nursing, as I can see how that could potentially be a problem.....like if she nursed, and then went back to bio-mom and wouldn't take a bottle, things like that. It was weird to bottle feed but I was okay with that. I wasn't okay with having to treat her differently in other ways, like the co-sleeping......and that I had to hand her over twice a week for visits, to a nice parent aide who didn't buckle the carseat in right......sigh. It's really tough, too tough for me.
I have found that ages 3+ are easier as the vaxes aren't usually an issue, neither is co-sleeping because they don't want to at that age, and I don't think they *need* it like a newborn does.......and I can more or less parent them the way I do my kids.
Good luck!
Kristi
__________________ "Honest criticism means nothing: what one wants is unrestrained passion, fire for fire. ~Henry Miller
We did not have to show proof of vax in Oklahoma, I do not remember filling out anything on the girls. I know that dh and I had to have physicals, but my cousin is a dr. and he filled them out for us, as they were simple stuff like blood pressure, height and weight. He also had to sign that he felt we were in good physical condition and could care for a child.
It seemed really simple.
Amanda
We did have to show Whitley's vax record but I am sure if she were not vaxed they would have accepted an exemption form or whatever the schools accept.
You won't be able to not vax a foster child as they are in state custody, not yours... but it's true that once the adoption is final you could stop then.
If our children were born to us, I don't think we'd vax. However, with social workers and agencies so in our business as they are when you adopt, I've been too scared to start anything with them.
So our babes have been vaxed, although Noah has only had his 2-month shots from before we received him so far. That being said, he IS breastfed, as have all my children been, so they've had good immunities and nurturing through our parenting as well.
If you have the courage to fight, then do so. But I haven't. I've wanted them signed and sealed as soon as possible, so haven't really made waves with the authorities. LOL.
Kerri
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Mama to Cole (8), Naomi (7), Adam (7), and Noah (4)
All adopted - All breastfed
Wife to my darling David for over 11 years
Breastfeeding Counsellor and Doula
Waiting to hear back about my midwifery school application.
Gulp.
Come see our Hyena Cart 
even moreso with all of the things that he/she will be missing out on.
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