• 03
  • February
    2012

Most people in Omaha would agree that foster parents deserve our respect, support and admiration. These people take children into their homes because they have a sense or moral obligation or because they are good people -- they certainly do not do it for the money.

Unfortunately, foster parents do not earn much for their efforts, and in some cases they make so little that their household budget is stretched to the point where bankruptcy needs to be considered.

That's the message foster parents brought to Lincoln late last week when they testified at the state capitol in favor of increased payments for foster payments. A bill by State Sen. Annette Dubas would set minimum compensation for foster parents at a base rate of $636 per month and would permit increased payments for foster parents who agree to watch over kids with special needs. Meeting those levels would cost the state about $3.6 million per year.

Currently, foster parents makes between $350 and $608 a month.

One woman said she and her husband often end up buying diapers, food and clothes out of their own pocket because the current payments are insufficient. Nebraska child support payments are among the lowest in the country, according to a study performed in 2007.

As we have said before on this blog, bankruptcy is not something to be afraid of, but it is a serious steps that can have major consequences. It is unfortunate that under our current system, foster parents are being pushed to consider bankruptcy; bankruptcy can be the right choice in certain situations, but no one wants to be forced into ti.

Source: The Omaha World-Herald, "Money a concern for foster parents," Martha Stoddard, Feb. 3, 2012