The Top Goal Of Foster Care Is Reunification
The primary goal of foster care is reunification with the birth family. It is important to understand that adoption is never the goal or a guaranteed outcome of fostering. You should not enter fostering with the hope of adopting a child placed with you; however, there are kids in foster care who are currently eligible to be adopted.
When Does Adoption From Foster Care Come Into Play?
A child in foster care is under state guardianship and may become eligible for adoption if the plan for reunification is not able to be fulfilled and parental rights have been terminated.
- All foster-adopt families must first be certified as a foster provider.
- In most states, a child must be in a home for six+ months as a foster placement before the family can move forward with adoption.
State foster care agencies are not adoption agencies, but they will facilitate adoption when needed for a child in their care. They will not certify a family for adoption out of their service area or from another state. They will, however, train and certify a family for foster-to-adopt purposes if the family has been selected to move forward with a specific child or sibling group in their custody who is waiting for an adoptive home.
If you are interested in adopting youth outside of your county, you should look for a certified placement agency (sometimes also called licensed child placement agency) or a private adoption agency to support you in reaching out to the state agency/caseworker for the youth you are interested in learning more about.
If you go this route, you will work with two agencies: the one in your area that does your home study and the agency for the potential youth.
Who Are The Children Most In Need of Adoptive Families?
● Siblings who want and need to remain together
● Adolescents who have been in the foster care for several years before parental rights were terminated and they become eligible for adoption
● Children who are medically fragile or have developmental disabilities
● Children born exposed to alcohol and other drugs
● Children returned to foster care after being relinquished by an adoptive family due to lack of diligence in the placement considerations outlined earlier in this article
Why Adopt A Child From Foster Care?
Adoption ensures that a child who cannot remain with his or her biological family receives the basic needs of any child: legal status, social status, educational opportunity, and most of all, the love, support and commitment that come from having a family where you belong.
The goal of adoption is to find the right family for a child rather than a child for a family.
Adoption provides a child with a family who intends to commit unconditionally to a lifetime relationship.
Courtney Williams
As in a marriage, adoption should not be entered into lightly, but with full intention.
How Are Placement Decisions Made?
A child is placed in foster or kinship care when his or her parents are unable to provide basic needs and a safe environment. Many of these kids have been abused or neglected, and often faced severe trauma leading to high emotional needs. Kids can be resilient, even facing such challenges. They often still can reach their potential when cared for by a loving and committed family and other supportive people.
Careful decision making is required both by the child’s professional team and the family to ensure a successful adoption. When a potential adoptive family is identified myriad factors must be weighed in making a permanent placement decision. The child’s history, specific needs and best interests must be carefully considered alongside information about the potential family. The youth’s team and the court hold decision-making responsibility regarding permanent placement. The level of input by the child will depend upon his or her age and level of comprehension.
What About Out-of-State Foster to Adopt?
When kids enter foster care they suffer great loss. If they are placed for adoption the priority is to avoid additional losses, so when possible the priority is to place a child in proximity to siblings (if they’re not being placed together), other extended family members, and other healthy relationships in their lives.
The youth’s team will have final say as to whether it is best for a youth to leave their current community. If the potential adoptive home is a wonderful match and options are not available in the child’s community, then the team may decide to approve moving the child to another state.
Who Are The Kids Profiled In The I Belong Project™?
All the videos shared on our I Belong Project video gallery are for children in foster care who are eligible for adoption. Before submitting an inquiry it’s important to have a completed home study, as most caseworkers will not consider inquiries that are not “home study ready.” (Explore Foster Care Resources In Your State to attend an information meeting and find an agency with which to begin your home study process.)
Note: While we advocate for adoption-eligible kids in foster care through our I Belong Project, America’s Kids Belong is not a placing agency. Inquiries made on the kids through our site are redirected to our state child-welfare partners. We have no control or authority over children’s cases or placements.
I Belong Project is a registered trademark of America’s Kids Belong.
