My wife and I have been foster parents for 2 years this month. We just received our 10th placement a week ago today. We're dual licensed (Foster/Adopt). We have 3 bio kids (8,5,3) and currently have 3 placements (4,4,2). We're with Covenant Kids.
To answer some questions:
There are some good agencies in the area, we've been very happy with CK and our case worker has been awesome, she really advocates for us with CPS, when needed.
Training took us about 3.5 months but we were on the ball getting stuff done. Most people in our first class finished in 5-6 months. You will be background checked, they will want a list of babysitters, they will also need to be fingerprinted/background checked. Yes, guns (locked up) and ammo (stored separately) and locked up. My gun safe is in my office and I have ammo in a storage cabinet locked in office and garage. What my wife and I do with our carry and HD weapons is our prerogative.
Yes, you can indicate your age range/sex/race etc. We do not take kids with sexual abuse history or as reason for removal. We have only take younger kids. Stated newborn to 2 yrs and are now 2yrs to 6 yrs, any race, any sex. You can also select which level of care, basic, modified or specialized. Most kids coming into foster care will do so as basic and will get leveled, if necessary while they're with you. We had one kid, our first placement, who was a very tough kid, I think most would have put in a 30 day notice with her. She busted my youngest daughter's nose twice. We stuck with her, and with CK advocated for therapies, which she got and in a few short her behavior dramatically improved. She was barely two when she came to us and 10 months later went to live with her grandparents as a very different 3 year old girl.
Foster care is tough, most don't understand it. It's hard. I spent 8 years in the Marine Corps as a grunt, and there are many days that I'd much rather be stuck in Iraq again, running missions, gun fights and sweating my balls off. It was easier. We had a kid come to us whose 3 year old brother was killed by mom and dad. You get kids who are damaged or at best, underdeveloped. We've yet to get a kid who either, did not have drugs in their system or significantly under developed. Our almost two year old just learned to walk last month. Still cannot say a word.
But, when you see these kids improve, you see the fruits of your labor. At the end of the day, there are kids who need a home, need someone to love them and protect them, if only for a small period of time.
Our kids have done well when our foster kiddos have left. They still talk about them and want them to come over to play. Sure, they've been sad, our oldest has questioned why we do this. But for us, it's the opportunity to share the Gospel, God's love, and allow them to grow. My family, marriage and kids, are better for it.
A quote I came across when I was considering putting in a 30 day notice on our first placement and being done "Your no will be harder on them than your yes will ever be on you". It put things in perspective for me.
If you're in the DFW area I'd be happy to meet up with you and answer any additional questions you might have or, get our wives together as well. We feel strongly about foster care and we're an open book. It's tested our marriage (high school sweethearts and 10 years married in June) it's tested me as a man, father and Christ follower. But, it's absolutely been worth it.
Shoot me a IM/email if you want to get together/have any additional questions.