Information about public fostering and adoption?

Question

As someone considering adoption, I've obviously been researching extensively to better educate myself and one of the conclusions that I've come to is that before seriously considering international adoption I should seriously consider adoption within the U.S. I watched some clips from Adopted the Movie (I think that's what it's called) and it was definitely informative. When I say U.S. adoption I am not necessarily talking about private agency, newborn adoption. I want to research public adoption and fostering. Does anyone have any advice about this path? Does anyone have any good resources that they can recommend I take a look at?

Answer 1

Most states have websites, that will give you information on adoption through, Family and Children Services.

There are children in foster care, whose parents are following a case plan, the goal for these children is reunification.

There are also children in care, who might be placed with a family member.

Other children, the rights of the parents have been terminated and no family members are available to care for them, these children are ready for a adoptive home.

We contacted Family and Children Services when we adopted two of our children. If you are interested in adoption, through their agency they will give you the information you need.

I know it is a personal choice, but I highly recommend adoption through, Family and Children Services, we have so many children in the system.

Answer 2

The only advice I can give you about a US adoption is to make sure that the parents rights have been terminated BEFORE thinking about adopting.  Biological parents here have the right to overturn the adoption and have the child returned to them even after you have the adoption "final".  It varies from state to state, so check into it.  Good luck.

Answer 3

Please consider the US first.   I was a foster kid in the US and no-one ever adopted me.  

It may take some time, but kids need you.  There are so many kids in foster homes in the US that have nobody.  And they move from home to home waiting for adoption.

Meanwhile, all kinds of people are going to other countries to adopt children.  It does not make sense to me.

The kids in foster care have had it rough.  Most have been abused and their parents were drug addicts or drunks.  The kids are hard, but let me tell you, you will be paid back more than you ever know once you bond with that child.  They will love you so much, almost more than "your own child."  

Please, please, consider adopting a foster kid.

Answer 4

Can I recommend http://fosterpodcast.com/

It is an ongoing podcast by a couple in California who are in the process of adopting their foster children. It will give you an idea the everyday ups and downs as a foster family hoping to adopt, the pros and cons, and they answer lots of questions  about the fost adopt system.  Its funny and sad and I can relate to a lot of their experiences. It will either put you off or convince you to go for it!

Answer 5

Dear Angela;

We are fostering-to-adopt a little boy through the state. We have had a wonderful experience with the entire process, though many in here have had differing experiences. We did not opt for the parents' rights to be terminated (TPR) before our child was placed in our home....mainly b/c it can take years for that to happen....and the child will simply wait in foster care. State agencies do not place children in adoptive homes who have a high probability of being returned to their first parents. Those children usually remain in foster care....and are not adoptable. Our child's mother hasn't seen her child in 11 months, and he is 14 months old. B/C neglect is considered grounds for TPR....along with the other factors of her case.....it is highly unlikely that she will ever regain custody. Parents, grandparents, other relatives are all contacted for placement before the child is available for adoption to an outside source.

In most states, you must wait 1 full year before the adoption is finalized....primarily b/c the agency will need to make regular visits and be positive that the child is flourishing under your care.

Our process (paperwork, background, homestudy, and training) took 11 months. After that you wait. We waited a mere 3 months for our call....but depending on the specifics of your requests, you could wait longer. If you are seeking a white baby, you will likely wait for a while. We requested a child that could communicate and bond with us...regardless of race, s*x, age, etc.

Anyway, there is a ton more to say, but the best place to go is probably your local CPS. I can't say enough about our case workers and their love and devotion to our child. I also can't tell you how truly unbelievable our child is and how much joy he brings to our lives. His road will be hard as he seeks out his identity and deals with his losses....but we will be there with him and for him every step of the way.

<<adoptive mommy through foster care.

Answer 6

I too am in the process of trying to adopt from foster care.  I've been blessed of adopting a baby boy, now 9 months through private adoption (met through a mutual friend), and have been approved to adopt up to 3 more kids through the home study.  I'm just waiting for the courses to take to be eligible.  

Just a note, start with the courses and home study stuff ASAP.  I really wanted to adopt one particular sibling group, and couldn't because I hadn't had the courses yet (I've been signed up for months to take them).  It's heartbreaking to be approved for private adoption and the state doesn't do their part to process parents.

From what I've talked to other PAP's, our state runs a lot of prospectiv parents away with the negativety of the way the courses are taught.  Even though some kids do have a hard time with placement, I know of so many who've had wonderful experiences adopting (usually from the now grown kid's perspective).  Good luck!  I hope you feel as blessed to be able to adopt as I have.

Answer 7

fostering and public adoption is a complicated process and it's best to be well-informed.  if you are looking to foster-adopt a newborn you have to keep in mind that the parents will have 6-18 months to try to reunify with that child (this is true of any age).  the difficulty that foster parents have with this is that they form a bond with the child and if the child returns to the biological parent(s) then they have to be able to let that child go.  this can be emotionally draining, especially the younger the child is.  

now if you get a child who has been in the system and has no prospects of returning to the biological parents then you have to consider that you may be fostering that child for sometime before adoption is recommended.  public adoption agencies want to make sure that you form the bonds and that the family works well with each other (along with many other assessments) before finalizing an adoption.  this can be time consuming but it really is to prevent failed adoptions from occuring.

you do have wait until parental rights are terminated.  once parental rights are terminated then biological parents have 60 days (this is in CA) to appeal this decision and take it to court.  once the 60 days are up then public adoptions will proceed with finalizing the adoption.  it does not make sense for them to finalize the adoption within those 60 days because it is the bio parent's right to appeal it.  

i would encourage you look into foster-adoption.  i believe that there are so many children here are overlooked because international adoption seems to be more appealing.  but being a parent to a child in need in the U.S. is incredibly positive and rewarding.