| There are many viewpoints of adoption. This | | | | necessary. In some of the cases, it is |
| is the aspect of adopting a child through the | | | | evident early on that these particular |
| foster care system.Adoption is a process of | | | | children would be available for either long |
| transferring the legal custody of a child | | | | term foster care or adoption. In these |
| from one legal guardian to another. In most | | | | cases, the parental rights would be |
| cases the child is not related to their | | | | terminated and the child would be available |
| adopted parents. However, there are a number | | | | for adoption.There are a lot of children |
| of adoptions whereas the custody of the child | | | | available for adoption through the foster |
| is transferred to another family member such | | | | care system. Children are available for |
| as an aunt and uncle or grandparents.There is | | | | adoption by various means and agencies. As |
| always a need for more foster parents. | | | | well as adoptions at the county level, there |
| Foster parents generally work with their | | | | are privately arranged adoptions, private |
| county Department of Social Services. There | | | | agency adoptions and international adoptions. |
| are also a large number of foster parents | | | | We are focussing on the county level |
| that work with private agencies. These | | | | adoption due to the cost factor. The private |
| private agencies contract with the county, | | | | agency and international adoptions can be |
| state or handle private placement of | | | | quite costly. The privately arranged |
| children. When foster parents decide to | | | | adoption could be costly as well but could |
| foster children, they will attend training | | | | also be arranged to cover the costs involved |
| through the county or the agency that they | | | | in arranging the adoption. With the county |
| sign up with. The initial training is an | | | | Foster/Adopt programs, the costs involved in |
| orientation to foster care and other | | | | adoption is covered by the county or |
| necessary information designed to outline the | | | | reimbursed.Through the county foster/adoption |
| duties and responsibilities of becoming | | | | system, children that it appears will be |
| foster parents. There is yearly ongoing | | | | available for adoption are placed in homes |
| training available and it is necessary for | | | | that the foster parents are planning to |
| all foster parents to keep current on their | | | | adopt. The county is mandated to moving the |
| training requirements. There are various | | | | child a minimum amount of times. If the |
| foster parent associations available for | | | | situation with the child's home looks as |
| foster parents to join and this is highly | | | | though there is a strong possibility of |
| recommended. By joining these organizations, | | | | termination of parental rights, then there is |
| the foster parent is kept informed of | | | | an attempt to place the child in a home with |
| information that is pertinent to being a | | | | foster/adopt parents.There is a push for more |
| foster parent. Regarding this information, | | | | adoptions of children in the foster care |
| there are various resources for training and | | | | system due to the mandates placed on the |
| the foster parents can choose training that | | | | county Department of Social Services to |
| is pertinent to issues that they are not | | | | provide more comprehensive permanency |
| familiar with or that they are dealing with | | | | planning. The horrific stories that some of |
| in their homes at the present time.Foster | | | | these children carry with them are traumatic |
| parents can be couples, a single mom or a | | | | enough without adding trauma by being moved |
| single dad. In a lot of cases couples that | | | | from one foster home to another to another |
| have already raised their own children choose | | | | over the ensuing years. The foster/adopt |
| to do foster care because they just like to | | | | programs at the county level just became an |
| have children around them. Some parents will | | | | extension of the foster care programs that |
| take in a foster child or two while they are | | | | were already in operation.The average family |
| raising their own families. Some parents | | | | raising their own children would probably |
| raise foster children because they can't have | | | | raise 2-3 children over the course of 20 |
| children of their own. There are as many | | | | years that their children may be living in |
| reasons to become a foster parent as apples | | | | their home. In the same 20 years, a foster |
| on an apple tree.Why are children in the | | | | family may touch the lives of 100-200 |
| foster care system? On the top of the list | | | | children that may be in their care for 2-3 |
| is Abuse and Neglect. For various reasons, | | | | weeks, months or years each. So many foster |
| children that are placed in the foster care | | | | children are raised in a number of different |
| system for this reason are not or have not | | | | homes. With the foster/adopt program, there |
| been taken care of properly by their legal | | | | is more stability for the child. The child |
| guardian. Often they are subjected to | | | | also feels a stronger sense of belonging and |
| physical abuse that is noticed and reported | | | | being cared for.Children do not forget their |
| by another responsible adult. (Their are | | | | foster parents as those that are raised in |
| adults due to their job functions that are | | | | their natural homes do not forget their |
| legally obligated to report any suspicion of | | | | natural parents. Being foster parents can |
| abuse to either the Department of Social | | | | often be frustrating when children come and |
| Services or the Police Department.) Sometimes | | | | go so often as the parents only have a short |
| the situation is traumatic for the children | | | | time to make a lasting impression. Adoption |
| and the out of home placement for them can be | | | | allows for a long term relationship between |
| an extended period of time. Often this is | | | | the adoptive parents and the adopted child. |
| accompanied by obligations that the parents | | | | Often this makes a tremendous difference in |
| will have to accomplish in order for their | | | | the outcome of one's life. Children also |
| children to be returned to their homes. At | | | | learn from their parents and often is the |
| other times, a requirement might be placed on | | | | case that children that are raised in foster |
| the family to accomplish certain tasks over | | | | care homes become foster parents |
| the period of 2-3 days and if completed, | | | | themselves.As adoptive parents, there are a |
| their children would be returned upon | | | | lot of resources available for training and |
| completion of these tasks. These are the | | | | support. Some of the foster parent |
| less severe situations such as having a clean | | | | associations provide support for the adoptive |
| and safe environment for the children to live | | | | parents as well. There are also a number of |
| in.The next part of the process is where do | | | | support associations for adoptive parents |
| the children go next? As mentioned | | | | specifically. If considering adopting |
| previously, if the situation is not too | | | | children, this is one avenue that you will |
| severe, the children might be returned to | | | | want to investigate. You should check around |
| their homes in just a few days. If the | | | | with the various organizations, associations |
| parents do not meet the requirements of their | | | | and foster and adoptive parents to find what |
| obligations to have their children returned, | | | | would be right for you. If you are thinking |
| then the situation would need to be reviewed | | | | about it, go through the orientation training |
| to determine what course of action would be | | | | before you make a commitment. |