When I was a kid, I knew that something was wrong with my family. We never seemed to get along, and it was always a struggle to get through the simplest tasks as a family. I felt like it was always a challenge to be at home, which is why I focused so much on creating a loving, kind environment when I had my own family. I worked hard to find a great spouse, and we focus every day on creating a loving home. Check out this blog for tips on creating and enjoying stronger family relationships each and every day.
If you have been considering adoption for some time, you may have started looking into the adoption avenues available so that you can find the one that's right for your family. One of the things that you may not have been aware of in the past is the path of adopting from foster care. If you have received the necessary approvals as a foster parent, talk with your caseworker about the pathways to adoption. Here are a few things that you should know.
There Are More Older Children Available To Adopt From Foster Care
If you have your heart set on adopting a baby or a toddler, foster care adoption may not be the right solution for your family. In fact, many of the children in the foster care system that are eligible for adoption are school-age. If you want to provide a loving home for a child regardless of age, adopting from the foster care system is a great way to do that.
You May Have A Waiting Period
Once an adoption-eligible child is placed in your home for foster care, you will not be eligible to file for adoption for at least six months, in most cases. Children's Services instituted this waiting period for foster care adoptions to give both the foster parent and the child an opportunity to get to know each other and build a relationship first. That waiting period is the trial stage where you both can decide if this is the right situation for you. If it isn't, you can determine that before ever starting with any legal paperwork.
Foster Adoptions Pose Unique Challenges
Deciding to adopt out of the foster care system is a great path, but it is one that comes with some unique challenges. Most potential adoptive parents understand that adoption can be challenging, but those challenges can be significant when adopting a child through the foster care system. After all, most children in the foster care system are there because their biological parents were unable to care for them. This is often a result of abusive, neglectful, or otherwise traumatic living situations. You'll need to be prepared to help this child work through their trauma, including counseling, family support, and any other intervention that may be needed.
Talk with a caseworker today about how to pursue foster care adoption, including the foster care approvals and the anticipated waiting periods.
Contact child adoption services to learn more.
Share12 January 2023
