Adoption FAQ #7

Dr.Loretta

I'm considering foster care. What information can you give me to get started?

715inNC

Foster care is different in every state.

I'm in North Carolina and the process to become a licensed foster home is

1) attend 30 hours of training, for me this is a 3 hour class once a week for 10 weeks

2) get finger printed, have a fire inspection done on the home, provide medical/physical information

3) the homestudy (I have not gone through this but will edit once I do, in the next 4 weeks)

 

The main goal for foster care in NC is to reunify the child with their birth family. Obviously, this doesn't happen in every case and once the court terminates parental rights (TPR) many of the children become available for adoption. 

hoping4more

As the previous poster stated, foster care varies from place to place. 

Here the goal is also to re-unite the children with their birth family. again, this does not always happen and then a permanency plan will be put into action. Here preference will usually be given to family, close friends, foster parents and then unknown approved people willing to adopt, in that order. 

I have recently been through the home study process for foster care in my area. My steps are as followed:
1- asked experienced family members and friends of their experiences.
2- Called government and requested application
3- Returned completed application, police record check forms, reference information, doctors forms, etc.
4- Took required classes with husband
5- Had an investigator complete our home study
6- Home study approved, just waiting for the home safety check and official licensing. 
7- Once licensed we will be placed into the "pool" of available foster homes

CaptainSerious

I don't have much to add to this one, but I do think the first and foremost point on this one is that the main goal of foster care is to reunify the family if at all possible, so those wishing to adopt from foster care must accept the reality that any child placed in their home may be removed to return to his/her birthfamily at any time before finalization of the adoption.

come*on*baby

To add to the others - There are also foster care private agencies. While you get a child from the state, you have the middle man of an agency, which is quite nice.

As a foster parent, your are required to keep up with your training through the year as well as just the first classes. You will have annual classes that are required every year - in Texas we are required CPR, CPI/SAMA (de-escalation and restraint class; I've had both), Child Abuse Prevention and Psychotropic Medications. This keeps your license up to date. You also have quarterly inspections (with an agency), health inspections, fire inspections, surprise visits, in addition to CPS/DFPS caseworkers visiting as well.

lilmufish

To get started...ensure that you and your partner are on the same page. It takes 100% team work!  As a team, decide what ages you are wanting, what behaviors/disorders you are comfortable with, and how many children at a time that you're willing to accept.

Educate yourself on the foster care s ystem in your area. As you start going through the process your family and friends will have alot of questions. Know the myths and educate your family and friends.

https://littlesundrops.blogspot.com/2009/06/myths-about-fostercare-or-adoption.html

From my website:
Myth: Fostering is a part time job, or is a way to supplement income.
False. While it's true that a foster parent will receive a stipend, in reality it's very little for the expense of raising a child. That stipend is to be used for extra curricular activities, clothes, food and other necessary items a child might need. The county division or agencies actually verify income, in order to ensure that future foster parents can support the foster children WITHOUT the stipend. Although you do not need to be rich, it's important to be able to handle the $$ one has, and be able to get by with out the foster child stipend.

Myth: It takes many years to finish the process and start receiving your foster children.
The process can take 3 months to a little over a year. This all depends on the state, the requirements, the applicant's motivation/organization, the agencies' motivation/organization and how strict their criteria is. Some will be placed with a child right away, some may wait 6 months to a year to receive their first foster child. It varies!

Myth: The only types of children in foster care are teenagers with disabilities or severe emotional problems.
To me, this seems to be exaggerated with "horror" stories. We should all expect that most foster children will have emotional problems due to the abandonment, abuse/neglect, etc. However, children in a good environment and counseling services can be resilient. And while it's true that the older children could have diagnosis or disabilities preventing them from being adopted up until this point there both healthy teenagers and younger children in foster care. Saying that there are only teenagers with disabilities or severe emotional problems is generalizing, which isn't fair. Children in the state's care, can range in ages from infant to 18 yrs of age.

Myth: You will have no say of what type of child will be placed in your home.
False! Foster parents can specify:
* The ability/disability range
* Behaviors they're willing to deal with
* Gender
* Sibling groups or not
* Race
* Ages
* Number of children they wish to care for.
* ETC!

At any point a Foster or Adoptive parent has the option to decline a placement if they don't feel it's a good fit for their family.

Myth: A disruption in my family will occur when I take in a foster child.
True! Whether you chose to bring a child into the family by birth or foster care, any child entering your family would disrupt the family dynamics. Parenting roles and structure of the family will change. It's important to make this decision as a family, and decide how you will handle certain circumstances.

 

Myth: Once you get a foster child, you're on your own.
Not true, there are alot of resources for Foster Parents, whether it's the case worker, licensing worker, support groups, classes, state stipend for child, state insurance for child, etc. The state will also assist with counseling or various therapy services for the children, as well as continuing education classes for the foster parents themselves.

I won't have anything in common with my foster child / will have trouble bonding with the child.
Not true, every child, whether they are yours or not will want to be respected and understood and have their basic needs met. Every child, has things they like, has their own dreams or goals.

Sally J

Kinship adoption is similar to foster to adopt, so I thought I would answer in case other people need the info.

-We notified the social worker we were interested in adoption of family member.

-We did a modified background check and home study that took about 2 weeks to complete.  A social worker came and interviewed us for about 2 hours.  We did fingerprinting.  Baby came home 6 weeks after the initial homestudy/background check.

-After TPR, we petitioned for adoption.  Had to do full blown homestudy and background check.  Lots of paperwork, answering written questions, have references, give financial info, and do another set of fingerprints.  Took 2.5 months to complete.