Adoption is a wonderful way to build a family. There are multiple paths to growing your family through adoption. One method is fostering a child. Foster care adoption begins with caring in your home for a child whose parents cannot, for one reason or another, care for the child.
It may be that the parent is in jail or in the hospital, it may be that substance abuse or neglect makes it impossible for the parent to care for their child, or it could be that the child has special needs that the parent is unable to adjust to. Foster care is intended as a temporary solution to keep the child safe and well during a crisis situation.
The goal in foster care is generally to reunify the family. If it turns out that the parents cannot meet the requirements to regain custody of their child, the foster parents may go through the adoption process and welcome the child into their family permanently.
Foster care
Foster care adoption is a great option for families who are open to adopting a child who may have experienced trauma or challenges and are willing to wait for the adoption to be finalized. It allows you to build a relationship with the child before adoption and can be a rewarding experience for families who want to provide a loving home for a child in need.
Unlike open adoptions with a private adoption, foster children hose parents have abandoned or abused them do not usually maintain contact with their biological parents.
Benefits of foster care adoption
For some families, foster care adoption can be an economical and satisfying route to adoption. There are various kinds of support for fostering available, and foster kids may have options for financial aid for schooling as well.
When a child in the foster system become eligible for adoption, often because the parents have had their parental right terminated, the foster parents usually have the first opportunity to adopt. The child is settled into the foster home with relationships with the family, school, and community. It’s an easier transition than being adopted by a new family.
Challenges of foster adoption
Children who need foster care are usually older than the babies who may be part of a private adoption. In Arkansas, the average child in foster care is 8 years old. These children may have had some tough times before you ever meet them.
Foster care is also intended to help keep children with their biological parents. You could get to know and love a foster child and then say goodbye when the child returns to his or her parents. Of course, you will celebrate with them, but it can also be a sad time if you had hoped to adopt your foster child. Foster parents have to be prepared for this kind of emotional challenge.
Resources on foster care adoption
Do I need a lawyer for foster care adoption?
Adoption is still a legal process, and you should still consult an adoption attorney to finalize the adoption. Justin Heimer offers a free consultation. Call today or use the simple inquiry form to get in touch and begin the conversation.
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