How old were your children?

Junebride007

when you adopted them.. I am just curious because we are looking into foster to adopt but are told that most kids that get adopted are around the age of 8. We were hoping to adopt 6 or under... We might change our mind depending on what all we learn as we go further into the process. We are open to other races, siblings, mental delays, and open adoptions.

g00dg0llymsm0lly

*trying to come out of lurking*

I'm not sure how typical my adoption story is, and keep in mind it was twenty years ago, but I'll share! Mine was a domestic adoption; my parents brought me home at 3 days old, and the adoption was finalized when I was about two and a half.

Lucky507

we are foster a kiddo who just turned 5 and will be placed in his forever home this summer with his two younger sisters....2 and 3 years old.  My CW said that getting an older child my help in getting their younger siblings.  We are only do foster care though and not heading down the adoption path yet.  I do know that there is a greater need for families that will take sibling groups since they try very hard not to separate them.  You have to remember that every situation is so different....like a finger print.  Good luck.  This is an amazingly help board:)

jenn5-26-07

our kids were 8 and 5 when we finalized. They had been in care since ages 5 and 3. they were legally freed for adoption at ages 6 and 4.

Dito what pp said- it depends on if your adopting thru foster care or fostering to adopt... Also if you'r open to sibling groups- you may have an "easier" time getting a younger child. just read that you are open to sibs- that will increase your chances unless you want both/all kids under the age of 6. (also being open to emotional, behavioral, challenging kids will help too.)

Cissi64

There  was no foster-to-adopt or concurrent planning when we started.  it was jsut beginning to be accepted as a good plan for  foster children.  We started to foster-hoping - to-adopt- if-TPR-happened.

We got the first two regular placements ( siblings) at 18 1/2mos and 8 1/2 mos. ( We had one respite placement before that). They never went "home" and we adopted them 3 1/2 years later. We had a  temporary emergency placement of a 3yo, 2yo, and 1yo siblings.  They ended up being split up for a regular placement and then going to a relative within a matter of about 3 mos. Our last placement was a 12  day old that went "home" at 7 mos, came back to us, went to relatives at 11 mos,  and came back to us.  We eventually adopted him. We did get calls about taking ( and potentially adopting) our children's younger siblings but DCFS ended up not taking them in to care at that time ( they did later..long story). The SW kept telling us how unusual our case was..to get three so young and for the first two to never have been reunited. 

 I do think your best bet to adopt younger than six through FC is to Foster-to-adopt. It is hard to deal with the potential of them being reunited but FC rarely gets healthy infants, toddlers, or preschoolers that are already TPRed.  Every once in a while they will get someone who is overwhelmed and can't cope with parenting that will place a toddler or preschooler with DCFS or someone who wants to make an adoption plan and doesn't know anything about agencies who will "abandon" a newborn at the hospital but it is extremely rare.

Floridamom224

We adopted our son from foster care.  He was 9 months old when he came to live with us.  We finalized his adoption when he was 2...he was two months shy of turning 3.

Floridamom224

It is also true that if you foster children with the hopes of one day getting to adopt, the children will be younger.  We had four placements before DS came, and they were all ages 10 months-3 years. 

GLynn2009

DD was 26 months. We did a private adoption from Canada.

ctbride08

We are foster but willing to adopt. Our older two came to us at 3 1/2 years and 6 weeks old.  Thier sister has since joined us (straight from the hospital at 3 days old).  They are just now discussing changing the plan to adoption.  I anticipate that if we do end up adopting, it will be at least 12-18 months from now. So they will be at least 6, 2 1/2 and 1/ 1/2.