Resources
Welcome to the Johnson Adult Foster Care (JAFC) Resources page. Here, you’ll find a curated collection of tools, guides, and information to help you navigate the world of foster care, developmental disabilities, and mental health. Whether you’re a family member seeking support, a caregiver in need of guidance, or someone interested in learning more about our services, we have resources that can assist you on your journey
Using References Effectively
Before you contact references, check with the social worker in your county to see whether the homes you’re considering have ever had any complaints filed against them and what, if anything, was done to resolve the complaints.
You can learn valuable information about an adult foster care home by talking with past residents or members of their family. Ask prospective caregivers to provide the names of references that you can contact. The caregiver should have contacted these individuals or families and obtained their permission to be used as references.
Here are some suggestions to help you use references effectively:
- Prepare a list of questions in advance. If you have specific questions or concerns following your visit to a foster care home, write down your questions so that you can compare responses from several different references.
- Call at a convenient time. Call at a time when the reference is most likely to have time to talk. Early to mid-evening is probably the most convenient time for most people
- Explain the purpose of your call. Introduce yourself, and explain why you’re calling. Be sure to mention that you received the reference’s name from the caregiver. If the person is busy, set a time to call back later
- Call several references. Compare different people’s experiences with the caregiver. Several positive experiences could outweigh a negative one
- Assure confidentiality. Assure the reference that you will keep the information confidential. This may encourage the person to be more candid