What types of changes they anticipate once a member is placed in the home?

Writing Exercise Dear Candidate, We appreciate you taking the time to apply and show interest in the Foster Care or ICPC team. To decide, we invite you to participate in a writing exercise to determine your eligibility for the role. The following scenarios have been provided to you to get an idea on how to facilitate a client interview, other wise known as a home study by utilizing creative writing techniques. Please read through the

scenarios and answer the questions as a short story and in third person. Scenario 1: A young couple has contacted Lutheran Social Services with inquiries on becoming foster parents. Mrs. Mesa grew up alongside her brother who was diagnosed with Autism as a teenager. Mr. Mesa does not have much experience with individuals with disabilities and shows hesitation to the foster process. Initial: Motivation Discuss the

following points: 1. Why the applicant wants to provide care for the client population desired. 2. Whether the motivations are consistent with the realities of CDH-Child Developmental Home/ADH-Adult Developmental Homelicensure. 3. The family’s involvement in this decision. Indicate whether the decision was made by the entire family. Scenario 2: Mrs. Mesa explains that she grew up in a conservative home therefore does not believe in disciplining a child but would prefer a gentle approach. Mr. Mesa grew up in a structured disciplinary household, he believes children should follow household rules regardless of their feelings about the rule. Initial: Discipline/Behavior Discuss the following points: 1. Discipline techniques used in the applicant’s family of origin. 2. Whether the applicant feels that the techniques discussed in #1 were excessive or abusive and how the applicant’s views may impact their ability to provide care. 3. Behavior management or discipline techniques used by the applicant with their own children. If they use corporal punishment, explore how they will keep this from impacting placements. 4. The spoken and unspoken rules of the household, as well as your assessment on how they might impact a placement and whether the rules are realistic for a member. 5. Specific behaviors that the applicant and family members find unacceptable and how they will deal with them when and if they occur. 6. Behavior management techniques the applicant plans to use with members. 7. Review of Article 9 training and date of discipline policy review and signature. 8. How the children in the home describe the discipline practices and what they report happens with they break a rule. Scenario 3: Mrs. Mesa shares that she and her family are close knit and communicate often, stating that her support system is rather large. Mr. Mesa has a distant relationship with his family and does not feel the need to share information to loved ones. Discuss the following points: Family and

Household Relationships and Interaction 1. Family relationships, including both extended family and other household members. (For single applicants, focus on extended family and other important relationships). 2. Family rituals, routines and values. 3. How the family shows affection, appreciation, trust, love and respect for other family members. 4. How they feel about affection, intimacy and modesty in the home. Include how

the applicant feels things may have to change once a member is placed in the home aboutmodesty. 5. How rigid or flexible the family’s system of values and conduct is, and how much tolerance they have for different lifestyles. 6. How they handle stress, difficult situations or crisis, and examples of stresses they have had to face as a family. 7. What types of changes they anticipate once a member is placed in the home? 8.

What areas or topics family members typically disagree on and how these disagreements are resolved? 9. How responsibilities within the household are divided. (i.e., chores, finances, discipline, etc.) 10. How decisions made within the family unit and how the children or other household members are involved in those decisions