Foster Adoption

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For foster parents and others who are hoping to adopt a child from the foster care system

Members: 256
Latest Activity: Apr 15

Started by courtney tice. Last reply by Kimberly J Schulle Nov 30, 2012.

Started by Heidi B. Last reply by Cassandra Sines Sep 23, 2011.

Started by Scott Edward Blumenthal. Last reply by Boyce & Cindy Sep 22, 2011.

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Comment by Amanda on July 23, 2009 at 10:43pm: Hello All! We're considering adopting through foster care, but not until next year. Does anyone have any experience adopting sibling groups? We're also open to adopting children of any ethnicity. . has anyone experienced negativity regarding this issue?

Comment by Heidi Naylor on July 23, 2009 at 6:11pm: Whitney - I SO agree with you!!! My 11 yr old has been great (Only been in our home since the beginning of July) He is a great kid!!! Just kinda lost in the system for all sorts of reasons. He is a great kid, smart, helpful, respectful and an all around great kid!

Comment by Whitney Rumeau on July 23, 2009 at 5:31pm: As someone who recently adopted a 14 year-old, I would encourage you to just get to know a few of the older children. So many times there's a fear of the older kids, like there is something "wrong" with them that they're this age and stuck in the system.
I understand that different families have different needs, but I feel very strongly that if more people would consider these amazing kids they would be very surprised. I consider myself the lucky one to have such an amazing kid still be available for me. In his case, he was stuck in the system while his father fought the TPR from prison...go figure.
Good luck in your pursuit. Your willingness to ask questions shows that you have a soft heart.

Comment by Tracy Whitt on July 21, 2009 at 3:06pm: Respite - I don't think we have any conditions set on respite in our county, so each state or county might be different. We recieve a piddly amount every month to pay respite - $20. They even encourage it if you just need a sanity break.

Comment by Kathie Ebaugh on July 21, 2009 at 1:57pm: Respite is temporary placement care. It is used so that the permanent placement can get a break -- go on vacation without their foster child, take care of personal family matters, have health issues cared for, etc... In FL you get 2 weeks of respite a year per child.

Right now we are taking respite care placements until they can find an appropriate full time placement. This allows our home to stay active while waiting for the right long term placement for us.

Comment by Angela Leyba on July 20, 2009 at 1:47pm: Thanks so much, T. Reagan! :-) We don't have a baby yet....we've taken PRIDE, done all the paperwork, and now just waited for them to get out to our house to look at our place, and do the home interviews. We're working with a really small agency in WA State and have NO idea how long it will take for them to come out here...I'm just a bit of a planner, and am thinking ahead!

Comment by T. Reagan on July 20, 2009 at 1:25pm: Angela.. you really need to speak to your caseworker about this. It is not all the same across the board. I could post pictures of our children and we did email pictures to family. I make photo montages of our family and email them, we never had a problem with this. So ask your caseworker to get a for sure answer. Congrats on the baby.

Comment by Angela Leyba on July 20, 2009 at 12:07pm: hi Heidi! I figured that was the case. Are we allowed to email pictures to immediate family that live out of state?

Comment by Heidi Naylor on July 20, 2009 at 11:50am: Angela - You can not post pictures! I know its so frustrating. But because the child is in the legal custody of your state even if parental rights are already terminated they will still tell you no. It brakes their (The child's) confidentiality. Also heaven forbid the placement does not work out they don't want pictures out there of the child. Some exceptions if it is a large group shot and you can not pick the child out specifically. If you can't see details of the child. Like the back of their head. I have also seen people blog about their foster kids using nicknames and if they post pictures they put smiley faces over the childs face. It is so important that their story and their privacy be respected.

Comment by Angela Leyba on July 20, 2009 at 11:06am: This is kind of an odd question, but my husband and I are planning on foster-to-adopting an infant from WA State...will we be allowed to post pictures of our baby online for friends and family to see? (Like on facebook, etc?) or will we have to wait until the baby is legally ours?