Foster/Adoptive Parents.. question for you.?

Question

We have a meeting with our case manager here in the near future. We're in the process of fostering a child. My case manager told me that you need to know whether you want to foster to foster or foster to adopt. I'm afraid when it comes to adopting, my husband and I wouldn't have 10-15k to adopt readily available. Then someone told me that if you foster to adopt, the fees are cheaper and you continue to get your monthly checks. I find this hard to believe, can you clear me up on this.

We're not doing this for the money. We can't have children. I'm 26 yrs old and we want a baby. We've tried fo more then 2 years. We want to get a little baby but I would take a toddler too. I don't want a teenger for obvious reason. I'm a little to close to their age. What is the process like to foster to adopt?? Any information, websites, or help would be greatly appreciative.

I can't wait to have a new addition to our family. They said in 4-6 months we should have a little one.

Answer 1

My caseworker told me that our only out of pocket expense for adoption through foster care would be about $75.00 - $125.00. This is in Georgia though. The state covers most of the expense. Your state shoudl have a website you can check out for the specifics. Just talk with your caseworker about your concerns.

Answer 2

I am in Michigan and my husband and I have been foster parents for about 3 years now and my mother in law has fostered/adopted for 35 years in Michigan.  When you are licensed you are not automaticly placed with a child it all depends on the cases coming in and I know that around my area the courts are pushing more than ever to place the children in relative placement (bio grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.) so children actually getting placed with fostr parents are few and far between.  If you are asking only for infants it could be longer because everyone wants those ones.  When you do get a child placed with you the parents normally go in front of a judge within 24 hours and the judge will decide if they are going to keep the child in placement of give the child back to the parent(s) then every 3 months there is a review hearing. By 12 months the case worker must have a permancy plan in place meaning are they going to work toward reunification of termination.  If there is a termination and you have had the child(ren) for at least 12 months you will have first dibbs of adoption if you are interested.

My husband and I have had a sibling pair for 2 1/2 years and are just completing the adoption, the county has paid for everything except the $40 birth certificate however we will get that reimbursed after the adoption.  When we started fostering we were not in it to adopt we were in it to simply help the kids but when you have had the same kids in our case for 2 1/2 years they are your family  I could not fathom having to hand them off to anyone else they are "my" children.

As far as the pay, in Michigan we get anywhere from about $20-25 a day for each child depending on the level of care (medical needs, etc) In the case of an adoption the state has to consider them "un-adoptables" I know it sounds aweful but there are things they go by to decide that (Age, sib-pair, medical needs, etc) if they consider them un-adoptables then they will receive an adoption subsidey untill they are 18 which equals out to be about the same that you get while fostering.

Hope some of this information helps.  Good luck!

Answer 3

The reason being (they need to know is) Many foster children still have parents involved, because the goal is work with their family to get them to return home. Kids are in custody in this state, for 15 months before they are determined eligible for adoption or not (to have terminated parental rights with their bio parent). It is much cheaper cause there are no fee's for a lawyer (unless you want one). The processing of your adoption papers is covered by the state, etc.

You can always be foster parents and change your mind to become adoptive parents, but the other way around is a bit more difficult. You can also say we are in this for adoption....we don't want any children (over a certain age) placed with us, nor children that are not adoptable. But keep in mind if you truly love children are are in it to help children; those that are not yet adoptable, may become adoptable. And they may end up going back home. And you will have helped them and their family be successful which is just as important.

Good luck. I'm sure your worker will answer all these questions for you too but get involved in a foster parent support group. These are unending sources of information.

My office mate is currently a single adoptive foster parent whom has two boys under 3 that are biological half brothers, and she is adopting the oldest next month, the youngest will happen in the spring. I also have worked in the fostercare/social work field for quite a few years now.

Answer 4

My husband and I chose foster to adopt.  The fees are minimal if you chose to adopt.  Just because you are certified for both, this does not mean you have to foster then adopt if the option becomes available.  You don't even have to foster a child if you don't think you can at the moment.  This is a good option if you are looking to adopt because you get to know the child for an extended period of time before.  Also, you are already certified to adopt so if you wanted you could adopt from another agency.  

We decided 0-6, mostly because of the age thing.  I'm 23 so we wanted a child that would be far enought from my age just in case we got the chance to adopt.  

If you are going through child services, you can take the same classes for both options, you will just be dual certified.  There is nothing special that needs to be done except a check mark stating that you want to do both.  

If you are doing this just to have a child, be aware that the ideal scenario is the child going back to it's parents.  It may be a tough road ahead if you're not prepared to care for a child and possibly give it back.

Best of luck to you!  I hope you find what you are looking for.

Answer 5

I don't know how it works where you live. but I know for a fact that when you have a foster child you get pay checks and when you go to adopt the pay checks stop. but you can also only keep the child for a while. my daughter is adopted but my situation was different my daughter's biological mother knew me and when the baby got taken away the courts granted me custody. I got checks and when her biological mother died they told me that I could legally adopte her and I wouldnt' have to pay. I'm not really sure why I didn't have to pay but that's what I was told by the judge. I think it may have something to do with the fact that her biological mother wanted her to have me.

Answer 6

If you are in the foster to adopt program in the State of Indiana while the child is in "foster care" and you given roughly 600 - 700 a month to raise the child, food, cloth, shelter, increase in house expenses, etc.  Once you adopt the child you get nothing unless the child is speical needs.  So do not go into it thinking the state will still pay you for adopting a baby, you become the parent and all cost are the parents.

Answer 7

If you foster to adopt, the adoption fees are very reduced or even free depending on what state you are in. As far as still recieving a check that is true, again depends on each states laws. If it is a high risk child (again determined by the state,which can be an older child, or certain races), than you get a check. My youngest brother is of another race and was ten when my parents adopted him, they got a check until he was 18. The reason the state does this is because usually children that fall in this catagory will have needs that may be out of the adopting families ability. My parents saved my brothers for him to attend college.

Good luck!!