FAQ Foster Care Adoption
The adoption process can be so overwhelming and confusing when you are first starting your journey but I believe it doesn’t have to be. I created a 3 step process to help support you on your journey to adopt a baby.
Define Your Journey
Tell Your Story
Become a Mother
Before you dive deep into the options I really encourage you to ensure you have completed the vision exercise so that you can quickly sift through these options to find the one that matches the vision you/your partner have for the journey ahead. If you have not done this refer to the link below to grab your free guide or if you are feeling stuck here schedule a free call so I can help you remove this roadblock.
In this article we are going to dive into Define Your Journey to discuss frequently asked questions about fostering and adopting from foster care . I also created a handy reference guide for the options in the article, you can download that below and if you have already signed up for our email list it will be one that is automatically sent to you.
There are 7 Ways to Adopt a Child:
Embryo Adoption
Adopting an Infant Internationally
Adopting an Infant Through Foster Care
Adopting an Infant with a Private Agency
Adopting an Infant with a Private Attorney
Adopting an Older Child Internationally
Adopting an Older Child from Foster Care
Commonly asked questions about Adopting a Child from Foster Care:
What is Foster Parenting: these parents do not have the objective of adopting a child, rather they are caring for the child each day
What is Foster to Adopt: these parents wish to adopt a child that they have been caring for in their home
What is Foster Care Adoption: these parents have not fostered this child but wish to adopt this child
What type of contact is required after placement: typically no contact is required after the adoption is final but you may choose to have contact with the birth parents or their families if you wish. It is often common to have contact with the foster families after placement. Again the contact is something that will be up to you/your child to determine how you want to handle.
What is open adoption: you have regularly agreed upon contact and/or visits after finalization. This is not something that typically occurs with foster care adoption
What is semi open adoption: contact through the agency or some other third party agency is typically referred to as semi open adoption. This could come in the form of letter exchange, contact via social media, or simple updates to the agency that they pass along for you to the birth family.
What is closed adoption: the simplest way to think about this IS no contact of any sort, even through the agency. A truly closed adoption is very rare these days but more common in embryo adoption than other forms of adoption.
What are the steps to adopting a child through foster care: interview agencies, paperwork phase, home study phase, matching, visitation, and finalization. If you would like to learn more about the step by step process for adopting from foster care you can sign up to get the step by step process sent to you here
What if we find each other through social media: social media has truly added a whole new dimension to the adoption process as it has reduced one's capability to remain 100% anonymous in this process. Interacting with respect in all areas of communication is key to a successful adoption situation and social media is no different. Ensuring you are living to the agreed upon methods of communication is the best way to honor the agreement you made during the matching process.
How do you pick a type of contact: this comes back to the vision exercise you wrote at the start of this journey. It is also important to imagine in detail what the conversation will be like with your child when they ask questions (or if they do) and ensure you are picking a path that will enable the type of conversation you will feel most comfortable with when/if that day comes. Since contact and visits are more rare with international adoption it is important that this be part of your vision should you choose this route.
What are the requirements to be able to adopt a baby from foster care: passing the home study and parenting education classes
Will I have to do parenting education classes if I am already a parent: yes, most states will not allow you to adopt otherwise. Often times this is considered part of the home study phase and you will not be approved by the home study professional until these classes are met. Each state will require a certain number of classes or hours be completed in order to become an approved family.
Cost to Adopt a Child from Foster Care: typically this can be free to $5K.
How do I get health insurance for my adopted child: you will be able to add them to your private health insurance once your adoption is in process but most states allow children to stay on the state health insurance. It is a common practice for the child to stay on the state health insurance as the primary insurance and then put the child on the private insurance as the secondary insurance.
How do you Adopt an Infant Through Foster Care: this can be challenging to achieve depending on the individual situation with the biological families legal rights to the child. For example, in the state of Arkansas you are warned that even if the child is placed in your home at the time of birth that it could take up to 5 years for the child to be legally adoptable. At that time you would be allowed to apply to adopt the child.
How do you Adopt an Older Child from Foster Care: this path can be the fastest and most affordable adoption option that exists. There are children that you can apply to adopt today that are waiting for loving homes. The wait time to adopt an older child from foster care will be much shorter than adopting a baby from foster care as typically the parental rights have been terminated which will move the process along faster. To accomplish adopting an older child from foster care you will need to pass the background checks, work with the foster care agency to find a good match for both you and the child, and potentially even do a few trial visits before determining if this is going to be a good forever match for you and the child.
Timeline to Adopt a Child from Foster Care: this varies dramatically based on the agency and how restrictive you are on certain medical issues. Typical timeline quotes are 1-5 years based on all of these factors.
What is a home study: during this phase of your adoption journey you will be paired with a social worker in your area that will physically come to your home to inspect that it is safe enough for a child. While it may sound absurd you will need to ensure that your home is child proof at this stage. Typically, you do not need to have a bedroom setup but need to have plans of where you will pace a bedroom. Again, here the agency will have a detailed checklist that you must adhere to, so it is important that you complete that list perfectly in order to be approved. Typically, this home study visit will include an interview where they will ask you questions about how you will parent the child. The questions typically include what life will be like with you on a daily basis, your family history growing up, etc. These background questions will feel unnecessary but it is important so that they can create an overview of what life will be like in your home.
What happens when we go to court for finalization of our adoption: this is the day that everything becomes legal! Depending on the situation this could be done in person or over the phone. Most of the time if you are finalizing in the birth state this will be done via a conference call with the judge attorneys. Don’t be surprised if this takes around 30 minutes max, which seems so strange given how long the rest of the process has taken and the importance of this step. If you get the opportunity to do this in person it is always fun to have photographs taken to remember this moment with your child as they grow.
To recap there are 7 Ways to Adopt A Child to choose from and in this article we focused on Foster Care Adoption Frequently Asked Questions:
Embryo Adoption
Adopting an Infant Internationally
Adopting an Infant Through Foster Care
Adopting an Infant with a Private Agency
Adopting an Infant with a Private Attorney
Adopting an Older Child Internationally
Adopting an Older Child from Foster Care
Now that you are more familiar with how from foster care the next step is to review the other 6 options and pick a path that matches your vision for your life. And if you haven’t done my vision casting exercise make sure to head back to sign up to receive the Steps to Adoption free download to work through the vision casting exercise.
I know that picking a path from these options can be confusing and overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s work together through your adoption process. You need someone that will be in your corner each step of the way. If you are interested in learning more, you can schedule a free call at the link below. We can put together your specific step by step journey through your adoption process, so you can reach your goal of motherhood.
Remember you can do this and I have your back, because after all, anything is achievable with a plan and support.
Hi, I Am Amanda
I help women build their families through adoption by giving them the step by step guide to adopt a child and support them on their journey
