[blparent] Keeping young children safe as parents with a visual impairment

[Miranda B.]

Hi,

For those of you who know me and have talked with me for any length of time,
you may find the subject of this email a bit puzzling, so please let me
explain.

As some of you may know, my husband and I are currently in the process of
being licensed as foster parents. After sending our home study to the state
for approval, our caseworker (through a private agency) received notice from
the state that they are requesting more information. They are asking her to
investigate further resources and information about how we will keep a child
in our home safe as foster parents who happen to be Blind. The state has
made it very clear that they are not wanting to discriminate in any way, but
that they are requesting more information from many families regarding child
safety due to recent incidents in our foster care system. They are also
wanting more information than usual from those applying to be foster parents
who have never been parents before this. 

In return, we have answered basic questions of safety as best as we can and
we've reiterated that we have all childproofing in place in our home (our
case was recently transferred to a caseworker who knows us but has not
recently been in our home.) We want to approach this situation with the
intent to educate the state about resources for Blind parents, and adaptions
we make as parents who are visually impaired. We have made it clear that
there is a fine line between wanting more information and discrimination
(whether intentional or not) and that we will appeal any denial for
licensing should the need arise. We are taking a Hadley parenting course,
and this has been documented. We've told our caseworker about the NFB and
other Blindness organizations. Now, we are coming to you for tips and
advice. Can you tell us adaptions you made to keep your children safe? These
could be adaption for medical care, making sure they didn't run out the door
of your home, keeping them safe while you are cooking, ETC. Anything you cn
think of we'd appreciate it! Also, for those of you who have adopted or been
licensed as foster parents, if you could provide any tips or advice on this
matter this would also be greatly appreciated!

Lastly, if you can think of any resources at all to pass along to our
caseworker and the state, we'd appreciate any thing you can think of.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give, and happy new year!

 

In Christ, Miranda