Should I Adopt a Child Through Foster Care?
The short answer is…yes!
The month of May is National Foster Care Month, dedicated to awareness and education of the foster care system. I hope this blog post will inspire you!
First, what is foster care? Why do children enter foster care?
Circumstances For Entering Foster Care
Neglect 63%
Drug Abuse (Parent) 36%
Caretaker Inability To Cope 14%
Physical Abuse 12%
Housing 9%
Child Behavior Problem 7%
Parent Incarceration 6%
Definitions and additional supporting information relevant to the populations presented in this report can be found by clicking on the tabs above the area chart displayed when using this link:
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/report/trends-foster-care-adoption
The Goal of Foster Care
You may have heard, “The goal of foster care is reunification with the biological parents”.
It is true. We all pray that the circumstances which caused them to enter the dependency system will go away, and never return, and they can be happily reunited with their parents of origin.
We hope that it is temporary.
Adoption Statistics
However, many children do not reunite with their parents of origin.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released its annual Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data for fiscal year 2021.
The stats show that for every child adopted from foster care, two children remained in care, waiting adoption.
36% adopted by relatives, 52% by foster parents.
There are currently approximately 113,000 children in foster care waiting for adoption.
Foster Care Adoption Has Shorter Wait Times, and is Free
You may have heard that independent adoption have long waiting times. This isn’t true of foster care.
All children deserve safe, loving and permance home. By adopting from foster care, you are making a world of difference – generations of difference.
In addition, there is little to no cost to foster adoptions. Compared to other types of adoption, fost adopt is the most affordable ways you can expand your family.
Also, children adopted through the CA foster care system qualify for the Adoption Assistance Program, which includes: medical coverage (through medicaid or medi-cal); a monthly subsidy; reimbursement of non-recurring adoption fees ($400 maximum per adopted child).
If eligible, your child can continue to benefit from this program until they’re 21. It also continues regardless of what state or country you live in.
Where to Start?
If something is tugging at your heart strings, and you are considering adopting from foster care, start here. https://dcfs.lacounty.gov/caregivers/become-a-foster-parent/
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