Community› The Bump Message Boards› Adoption
Adoption
New Discussion

adopting through the foster system

loverox0825loverox0825
in Adoption
Hi!  I'm just wondering if anyone has gone through CPS to adopt a child. My husband and I are interested in adopting down the road and we know some people who adopted children who started out as foster children.  We are just wondering what goes into doing it that way as opposed to going through and agency.  What were your experiences (good/bad), what was the cost, any other details you can give?  thanks in advance :)
Lilypie First Birthday tickers
Report Reply to Post

Re: adopting through the foster system

  • MyColonyNJMyColonyNJ

    We are adding to our family through fost/adopt through the state.  Basically, children will first be foster kids and then adoption (hopefully).

    We are in NJ, and let me tell you - it is just as much paperwork as others that are adopting with an non-foster care agency.  Each state will be different, but it was lots of paperwork, home study (includes home inspection, interviews, more paperwork, reference, background checks, and much more)

    Right now we are in the hurry-up and wait period.  We are still waiting for some background checks to come in.  then will have our final home inspections and then we will be licensed.

    We are hoping for a placement right away - in a perfect world, a sibling group.

    We can do straight adoption - same amount of paperwork - but those kids are generally older and we want 0-5 yr old.  We could still get a very young child though.  But we have to wait for the parents rights to be terminated.  It could be 2-2.5 yrs.

    With Fost/adopt, they "try" to only place kids that have a high chance of not being returned.  But, that said, there is always the possibility that they can in fact be returned to parents (or family).

    You just have to call your local CPS office, they will either be able to help you - or they may have a separate division that handles that.

    We handed in our apps on Oct 27th and I think we might be licensed in a few more weeks.

    As far as the cost - there is little or no cost to us.  The state is looking for good homes for these kids, so that is why there is no fee.

    Again, you can do straight adoption - these are kids whose parents already have their parental rights terminated.  Some foster parents do not want to adopt kids in their home.  Not because they are "bad" kids, but for a million other reasons - ie foster parents are older, foster parents just want to prepare kids for perm homes, foster parents don't want the life long commitment, etc.

    I have a blog which goes over a lot of the timelines, etc.  The link is in my sig.  There are many foster moms and moms that adopted (are adopting) through foster care

    Sorry this turned into a novel.

    Amy

    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • sunnybrook.sunnybrook. member

    My DH and I are currently foster parents and hope to adopt. We started out doing straight foster care but were recently added to the foster/adopt list as well. We had to attend trainings, have interviews and home inspections, and get physicals and TB tests. Paperwork involved proof of financial stability, monthly expenses, personal references, an 80 question questionnaire (each) for our profile, background checks, fingerprints, car registration, proof of homerowner's/rental insurance, etc.

    We started classes in March, got our license July 31 and had our first placement mid-Aug. We have had a child in our home every night since. We currently have our 4th child. Two things are very difficult: 1) saying good-bye to the children and 2) the uncertainty of everything. Things change quickly and caseworkers make guesses about what will happen, but they can (and often are) wrong. The positives are the children and not knowing what will happen (I love surprises!). There are generally little to no cost when adopting through foster care. I was also told that the state/county may agree to provide ongoing care even after the adoption. e.g. a child needs special services like speech therapy. Haven't looked into this though.

    Although its been a challenging couple of months, I can't imagine what it was like to not have children in our home.  HTH!

    Report Reply
  • come*on*babycome*on*baby

    my DH and I are dual licensed at a foster/adopt home. we are with a private agency instead of going through CPS. unfortunately, we're in Texas, where the CPS system is one of the worst. there's a ton of paperwork to do - pre-foster, placements, etc. when you get a placement it's like signing for a house again! recently i had to do it for 3 children all at once. whew!

    we started in May '07, licensed July 23, '07 and got our first placement 1 hour after signing our license. we are now on 4-6th placements - a sibling group of 3. 

    it's a very hard thing to do for many reasons, but i've found it to be a blessing. i'm still in contact with our last placements' relatives and hope to go visit them in the near future. 

    Report Reply
  • 2bWednDec2bWednDec

    We are in the same situation as all the responses above.  We are on placement number 2.  First one was a 2 year old we had for a year then she was reunited with birthparents.  Current placement we picked up from the hospital.  Both girls we were told we would likely be able to adopt but after we took placement, the stories changed fast and first one reunified and current one may reunify (uncertain at this point). 

    Main thing is you need to be able to handle the unknown because everything is usually unknown or inaccurate.  It's a waiting game too, seeing if you can keep them or if they leave. 

    Even though the system is absolutely horrible, I wouldn't have changed a thing with my two girls.

    If you have any specific questions, feel free to post :)

    Report Reply
  • sweettartssweettarts

    We adopted older children and it was completely free. We also got a subsidy that includes daycare until they are 13 and medical insurance until 18.  We have had our kids a few years now. There has been so much more good than bad, but the kids came with a lot of emotional issues. It took about 2 years of consistant parenting for them to be "normal" kids. I recommend finding a great attachment therapist and finding friends and family who can help take the kids when you need a break. It is wonderful, rewarding and absolutely life changing. It is a long process to get and adopt a foster child. It is emotionally hard- but worth every tear. We are planning on adopting more once these are older and settled in- maybe high school aged. It really is worth all the hard work! Good luck!

    Check out state websites  The state websites show kids available for adoption now. But you can get younger children by doing foster/adopt.

    Just go to Yahoo and type in a "state"'s waiting children 

    www.adoptuskids.org. Is Nationwide

     https://www.kcchildren.com/ 

    https://www.mnadopt.org/ 

    https://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/adoption/Child/Search/Demographic.aspx

    https://www.cakidsconnection.org/

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"