Adoption After Foster Care
The foster care system gets a bad reputation most of the time. It is known far more for its failures and shortcomings than for its successes. This is unfortunate since there are so many wonderful foster care success stories--far more than many people could imagine. Some could even go so far as to say that there are miracles that happen within this system that so many decry as being broken. Foster care and adoption statistics are often incredibly misunderstood.
Foster Care Children Adoptions
There are waiting lists that seem to go on for miles with many private adoption agencies. When it comes to foster care agencies, the reverse is often true. There are lists of children waiting for families. People often think of foster care as a system for the purpose of making temporary placements for kids when it is not possible or appropriate to be at home. They do not consider it a way to adopt. By taking the route of a state agency foster adoption, prospective families are making a very different, but very rewarding type of decision.
Adoptions through foster care can happen in a couple of ways. Prospective families can contact their state child welfare agency and let them know exactly what they are looking for. Kids only under or over a certain age, for example, could be a requirement of a particular family. Some parents are looking for sibling groups. Others want to love and care for those with special needs. Every family is different, and it is important to be honest about your family needs, desires, and limitations. After initial paperwork and customary checks are done, it may be possible for meetings between parents and foster children to start taking place.
Intention of Adoption
The other way foster care adoptions can happen is by taking in a foster child with the upfront intention of adopting. An initial placement can be for a trial period or a matter of a few months. During this time, the parents and child can get to know each other, set boundaries, bond, and overall evaluate whether or not the placement is a good fit for everyone. Throughout this time period, the family will often have additional support from the agency, such as a case worker and counselor. At the end of the trial period if everything seems to be doing well, then the adoption is finalized. If things aren't working out, the parents and the child move on in search of a better fit.
These are kids that have been through a lot. They hurt. They are scared, afraid, and anxious. They need love and attention. Each and every single one of them, whether ten months old or ten years old, wants nothing more than a family and a home to belong to, to be safe in, and to be loved. Foster care and adoption statistics should go hand in hand. There are too many children in group homes and getting shuffled from one home to another waiting for a real family.
