What are the basic requirements and cost of adopting a child from the county job and family services?

Question

The child wouldn't have to be an infant, just under about 8 to 10 years old, (since I am 25, I wouldn't want a child too close to my own age).

I am married (for almost 6 years) and have a we have a 4 year old son.

We live in Columbus, OH (Franklin County).

Answer 1

i had  gotten my kids at 4, 2 & less then ayear. the 2 older ones have issues due to what they were exposed to & visitation for a year & a half. they have alot of genetic mental issues &  just coping with life. the one has such a temper. he has trashed my house & broken things with no regard. he also can be the sweetest thing . we go to the shrink we have gone to so many & therapist. i think alot they make matters worse. it is not fun. i love them all soooo much but they do not come with a manual & there is always a honeymoon period. i am not telling you this to scare you. i am just telling you this to be real. not every situation is like this but you have to know it is out there. good luck

Answer 2

before you consider this please please PLEASE read up on reactive attachment disorder. i know a number of people who have adopted to find their child had this condition. it would not be so bad if there were more help and awareness about it. children services do not tell you about this problem beforehand. there is hope, these children are not doomed so to speak, but it is important to know what you are getting into. it is important to know how to prevent this and how to help a child who has it.

rad runs rampant in foster children, they are at a higher risk for the disorder. famous rads are ted bundy, hitler, jeffery dahmer... however so was hellen keller who became a great humanitarian. the difference was the help they recieved. it is one of the hardest conditions to try to treat.

here is some info. i am not trying to scare you, i just want you to know what you are getting into.

http://www.attachment.org/index.php

http://www.radkid.org/

http://www.attachmentdisorder.net/

good luck to you.

not exactly sure why i recieved 2 thumbs down. knowing what you are getting into is never a bad thing. these kids need help, but if you have  no idea how to help them you will only make things worse for them. you can not love rad away. it takes a lot of hardwork and dedication. i have dedicated a lot of time to trying to raise awareness for this.

there are states that recognize this disorder and actually ohio is one of the better states for getting help. i have a close friend who should hear back in a less than a week if she has been approved by ssi for her adopted son. her caseworker has said it is very promising. if she gets it, her son will be the first time that ssi in her state has acknowledged rad. just because the disorder is not as widely known about as some other disorders does not make it less real. i really hope that someone does some research of thier own before writing this off.

there was a time when autism was unheard of. there was a time when mental disorders were never talked about. even depression was swept under the rug. that was not that long ago. no one wants to believe that children like this can exist. a child without a conscence is a scary thought. however there is hope for them. this disorder can be beat... it can even be wiped out. it's one of the few disorders that we can normal find the cause for. knowledge is power, when we can find the cause we can find a way to prevent.

not all children placed in certan circumstances will develope rad. everyone reacts to things differently. what makes one person stronger, tears another down. what makes one child rise above their circumstances, makes another withdraw. often what makes the difference is the severity and the age that neglect or abuse happens. there is a reason the child does not learn to bond, and they have to be taught how to bond. once they bond with 1 person, it will carry over into other relationships.

trust and love to a rad literally feels like death. in their earliest experinces they could not depend on the person who was supposed to care for them. they learned that trusting was dangerous. trusting someone else to feed you means you may starve. trusting someone to hug, means you will be left abandoned. they associate bad things with those feelings. they associate pain with love. they have to be taught how to love. most people experience love from the moment they are born... or before. for these children, in most cases it was inconsistent at best.

they desperatly need help. i applaud and commend anyone who can and will help them. however it is imperative to know what you are doing. a foster parent NEEDS to know how to teach a child to bond. my hope is that those considering fostering, take the time to educate themselves on things like rad. childrens services are not going to teach you about it. even with a diagnosis from a specialist, you are likely to not get help from childrens services.

once again good luck.

Answer 3

well, I live in the northern part of ohio, and I have inquired about fostering to adopt children from our county.

You will be expected to attend classes. Then you will have a home inspection and physicals done on you and your spouse( to ensure you are capeable of caring for a child physically).You will have to provide references and pet records if you have pets.

But, from what I understand, you do recieve a monthly check for the child/children and as long as you adopt through the state agency, you won't have to pay fees for adopting. You will get reimbursed for everything you spend.

Oh, and just so you know, both you and your husband have to attend the classes for adopting/fostering. And just so you know, there is not always a guarentee that you will be able to adopt the child you are fostering.

Answer 4

Contact them, should will be happy to give you all the information you need, especially if you are willing to adopt older children.  In our state (Texas) there are many non-profit organizations that help people get licensed as foster parents and to adopt from the foster system.  

In terms of qualifying, you mostly just need to show you are emotionally and financially stable, and otherwise able to provide a good home for the child.  This means you have a job, resources, room in your house, a safe environment, etc for the child.  

Also, adopting through foster care is very inexpensive compared to private adoption.  It may even be free, depending on your local laws and the child you adopt (in our state, adopting older kids usually means you will be reimbursed for your expenses).  You will also qualify for a tax credit on your federal income tax and may get other benefits for adopting through the state (subsidies, educational costs, etc).