Adopting A Child from the Foster Care System, Page 5
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WHAT INFORMATION WILL I BE GIVEN ABOUT THE CHILD I AM INTERESTED IN?
Once you have identified a child and there seems to be a good match based on the child and what your family has to offer, your Case Worker and the child's Case Worker will begin exchanging information, including your homestudy. If the child's agency agrees there might be a good match, they will share information about the child with you and your worker. You will learn more detailed information about any disabilities or special needs of the child, become familiar with information about the child's biological family and their medical and psychological history, and learn how the child came into the foster care system.
You may not get all this information at once. You may receive some preliminary information for consideration to help you in the decision-making process. More information will be shared as the child's Case Worker determines you and your family can best meet the needs of the child. If the decision is made you and the child are a good match, more confidential and comprehensive information about the child will be provided to you. You and your Case Worker should review and discuss this information in detail. You may also want to consult with doctors and therapists, or speak with adoptive parents of similar children to help you decide if this child is right for you and your family, and if you are right for the child.
IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO BE BETTER PREPARED TO ADOPT A CHILD?
There are many things you can do to increase how prepared you are to adopt a child:
First, become knowledgeable about the resources you may need once a child is placed with you. These resources could include pediatricians, medical specialists, and therapists. Directory.adoption.com is a good resource to find professionals in your area.
Second, talk with your Case Worker, or look on directory.adoption.com to locate an adoptive parent group in your area. Adoptive parent groups are a wonderful source of information on services and adoption-sensitive resources that you may need. A parent group can also serve as a support network for you in the adoption process, and once you begin parenting an adopted child. You may also want to meet and chat with adoptive parents at forums.adoption.com.
Third, if you need more experience being with children similar to the type of child you are hoping to parent, look for ways to gain some experience. Ask your friends, colleagues, and members of an adoptive parent group to share their experiences with you. Even better, ask if you can spend some time with their children. You can also offer to volunteer at a school function or youth agency where children like the one you want to adopt will be present.
Fourth, continue to read about adoption. There are many good books available about adoption. Adoptionproducts.com has a large selection of books on adoption. There are also many good articles and stories on the Internet about adoption. Look for information at library.adoption.com.
Remember the more you do now, the better prepared and confident you will be when a child is placed with you in your home.
WHAT HAPPENS ONCE AN AGENCY AGREES TO PLACE A CHILD WITH ME AND WHEN IS AN ADOPTION FINALIZED?
When the Case Worker recommends a child be placed with you, the agency will authorize a series of visits between you and the child. These are called pre-placement visits. The visits will give you and the child an opportunity to get to know each other. You will begin with one and two hour visits. The visits will increase in length to over night and weekend visits in your home. Initial visits may include the foster parents and meetings with current school personnel and therapists, if appropriate. The visits are designed to give and the child time to get to know each other, and give you time to understand more about the child's needs and how best to meet them. It will also give the child time to become comfortable with you and start a bonding process. After a series of visits, and when everyone is in agreement, the child will move into your home.
Generally, the child lives with you for supervisory period of six months to a year before the adoption is finalized. During this period, the Case Worker will visit with you several times. It is the Case Worker's responsibility to make sure that the placement is progressing well. That does not mean there can't be any problems or challenges. Case Workers recognize there is a period of adjustment where problems and issues can arise. It is good practice to identify problems and issues when they arise. It is part of the Case Worker's role to help you through these times either through personal assistance, or through referral to other resources.
At the end of the supervisory period, the agency prepares a written recommendation of approval for you to adopt and presents it to the court. Although the process varies from state to state, all adoptions are finalized in court. Your agency will explain the process to you based on the requirements of your particular state. Once your adoption has been finalized, you are the legal parent of the child.
