Has anyone adopted from foster care?

We are in the beginning stages of thinking about adopting a child with a temporary medical condition.

We have no idea what is involved.

Re: Has anyone adopted from foster care?

FYI. When I google this, the results come back of parents with a medical condition wanting to adopt.

Re: Has anyone adopted from foster care?

Do you know the child? Is he/she a family member?

In order to be an "official" foster parent you will need to contact Children and Family services in your County.


You have to do a certified training that take several weeks. All people that will foster on the paperwork must do the training.

Re: Has anyone adopted from foster care?

It is a child at the hospital ds goes to. We haven't asked the staff yet, bc DH and I just started discussing this. I want to ask our social worker, but I don't know how much privacy plays in our discussion.

Re: Has anyone adopted from foster care?

I would start by calling Children and Family services. Explain the situation and they will guide you.

But in order to be a legal foster parent you must do a mandatory meeting they hold regularly and do that training. Even if it was a family member.

Of course, I am talking about either Nassau or Suffolk County. They work very similarly in their processes.

Re: Has anyone adopted from foster care?

I haven't but I worked in the field for a couple of years in NYC.

In a way, it is very similar to other adoptions.

Parental rights need to be terminated
Home Study Needs to be done
Can be fast or can take YEARS to be finalized.

I'm not against adoption from foster care because every child deserves a forever home, but there are a few hurdles which are unique to it.

First, the parents are able to fight against their rights being terminated. Typically in private adoption, the bio parents have a choice to either terminate rights or not, they aren't FORCED into the situation. This alone can take years to do depending on what the circumstances are. This is the biggest hurdle to get through.

Second, like others have said, before you become the legal parent of this child social services becomes the child's legal guardian. This means that you are at the will of a case worker in the foster care system who is responsible for completing all paperwork. Foster care caseworker turnover is HIGH and I can't tell you how many workers have delayed the adoption process for famillies because paperwork has been lost, never filed, or for some crazy other excuse.

Third, sometimes, adoption from foster care is almost like an open adoption. Depending on the situation, this baby may have bio family involved in their lives which means, if you choose to keep these contacts you not only "marry" the child, you "marry" their family. These individuals might also be able to come and file for guardianship for this baby and they may have priority over a non-kinship adoption.

On a positive note, foster care adoptions cost you nothing. The lawyer and adoption fees are paid for, plus you receive an adoption subsidy for the child up until they are 18, or 21 depending on the circumstances. This subsidy will follow you and the child no matter where you move in the entire world.

HTH

Message edited 2/14/2012 4:57:05 PM.