This is exactly what I have been trying to tell the foster agency! When we were first going through the process to become foster parents,one of the things that was discussed that was we are required to support the teens in getting their driver`s licenses by enrolling them in driver training and taking them out driving. When I heard that,I said "Umm,sorry,but I cannot afford to pay what my insurance rates would jump up to if I were to add a teen driver to my policy." So the trainer said that she understood and that we didn`t need to worry about it. Well,fast forward a few months and I had a teen girl who was eligible to get her permit. The case manager mentioned to me that I was required to help her get her driver`s license. I told him about my conversation with the trainer months earlier. He gave me every argument he could think of and I gave him every argument why not back-too expensive,too much risk of my car being damaged and I am not currently looking to purchase a new car-but the argument that finally shut him up was when I said "She cannot tell her right from her left! There is no way she would be able to pass the driver`s test until she can do that!" He realized I had a point and it was never brought up again. This was a girl who was going home soon anyway,and her mom did not even have a car-or rather,she had several cars in front of the house,none of which ran. So she wouldn`t be able to drive after she left here anyway. The next ten they brought me,a 17 yo boy,sat here at the intake and said getting his driver`s license was his #1 aspiration and re-enrolling in high school was #2. They brought him to me higher than a kite on drugs....oh yeah,he`s going to be driving my car for sure...NOT! I`ve already taken that responsibility with my own kids-I`ve paid my dues. It`s one of the things they are asking way too much from a foster parent IMO.
