For many, the relationship with a sibling will be the longest lasting relationship of their lives. For adopted children, separation from their siblings can be traumatic. If you decide to adopt siblings, you are giving your adopted children a great blessing,
The relationship between siblings is inherently special. We use the phrase “closer than a brother” for a reason. Adopted siblings can support one another through the transition of adoption and provide the early emotional attachment needed for good emotional development.
Further, the state recognizes the importance of sibling relationships. In 2008, our state government implemented the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, requiring the state to make reasonable efforts to keep siblings together in the foster care system.
The choice to adopt siblings is naturally in the children’s best interests. But it can also be very positive for adoptive parents. Older parents, for example, can speed up the growth of their family by adopting siblings rather than adopting more than one child over a period of years. This may be a benefit for younger parents, too, but for older parents it can make it possible to enjoy a larger family while they are still young enough.
All adoptive parents can benefit from their children having ready-made friends — that is, siblings.
People usually choose to adopt siblings via one of two scenarios:
1. Scenario One
Most of our clients adopt an infant at birth. However, when they develop a good relationship with the birth mother, it isn’t uncommon for her to contact them if she faces another unplanned pregnancy. This can be a great way to provide a child with a sibling and it can be a huge blessing to a woman who trusts a family, to know that they can be her solution again.
The process for adopting a second child is essentially the same as the first, though in the situation described here you won’t have to go through the journey of finding a baby to adopt. You may not require a second home study, either, if less than five years have passed since the first adoption.
2. Scenario Two
If you are interested in adopting siblings, consider foster-to-adopt or adoption from foster care. Sibling groups tend to be more difficult to place than individual kids in the foster care system. Keeping the siblings together can provide children with a sense of security that many kids adopted from foster care don’t have. If you adopt siblings through the foster care system, you may be able to receive a subsidy to help offset the cost of raising the kids and their medical care. This is due to the difficulty the state faces when placing siblings.
The need for homes for sibling groups is great.
Heimer Law can help finalize your adoption when you adopt siblings. Call (479) 225.9725 or click the button below.
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