Adoption Vs. Foster Vs. Guardianship

From what I know - and that seems to be less and less each day :) Is that 1.) Foster Child is supposed to be a temporary measure. If the child is over 14 they can choose not to be adopted - then there would be a guardianship.2.) Gaurdianships are for older foster children or family members primarily. The do not make the child "safe" from the tpr'd bio's. If for some reason they bios turn everything around and can prove to be responsible they can go back and ask for custody again. I believe that is a risk with guardianships.3) Adoption - is for all legal puposes now your legal child. The child gets a new name - usually your last name, sometimes first and middle all depends on what you do and then you get a new birth certificate...and they are legally yours - and have all rights as a child born to you. They will have rights to your estate when you die etc. etc. just as a bio child would.So that is my understanding of the differences. I might be wrong - but that is my understanding at this time. Hope this helps.

I'm sure it is different everywhere, but I'll tell you my situation (and I tell you how it affects both the child and the parents, financially). My 15 yo foster son was in a regular foster home. Everything that he needs is covered by the governemnt - all health care, schooling, some money for recreation, etc. and access to scholarships when he graduates. The foster parents were paid about $2000 per month. Now he's been moved to us and we are considered "kinship care" because we applied for him specifically, even though we are unrelated. He has all the same benefits, but WE only get about $800 per month. Once he is TPR'd, they will be asking us to assume private guardianship. At that point, his benefits are decreased - he has a yearly limit on his access to certain services(no limit while a "foster child), but he'll still have the same benefits at age 18 (scholarships and such), since guardianship legally ends whent he child turns 18. IF we made a combined gross income of less than $60,000, we'd recieve the same rate. Since we make over that amount, we will recieve NOTHING. Now, if we were to adopt him (and that would require his consent, which we would never get since he's so attached to the bios), he'd lose ALL those benefits and we would also recieve nothing for support. He'd be 100% out of the system and our full responsibility.SOO...I'd love to assume private guardianship, or even adopt him, but I'll resist as long as a I can, since I don't want to lessen his access to the services he needs. And certainly I can provide for him better with the stipend from the government!

WOW! As foster parents we don't get anything close to that for our foster children. For the teen it is around $500.00 a month plus all medical/dental. For younger school age children it is $40.00 less a week...I get a combined check so I don't remember the exact breakdown. Once a 1/4 we get aprox. $200. clothing allowance for the teen and about 150 for the littler one. The social workers says we can be reimbursed for out of the ordinary items - but I've yet to see that happen! We pay for extra curriclar activities and all the expenses that go along with that. We even paid for a tutor for the teen as his testing shows him on a 2nd grade reading level. I submitted that bill - ONCE - never got reimbursed so I don't bother any more.The subsiday could continue when adopted because they are special needs - for our state over 7 can be considered special needs (because they are harder to adopt out), plus being a sibling group (could be considered a special need). However, they won't get the clothing allowance at that time. They will be able to go to any state school (except mass medical school) for free if they are accepted into a state school. I believe the rule is that any child who spent more than 6 months in foster care as a child can apply for that. As for scholorships for other schools I haven't looked into that yet. Applying for the sub. to continue after adoption, our income does not come into play according to the kids adoption social worker. AMAZING how things differ from state to state.

Yikes, Swanzie! And I thought I was getting ripped off because someone I know who does foster care through a private agency gets $56.00 per day. My base rate is $27.00 per day! (I'm in Canada, by the way). We don't get a clothing allowance, but we do get reimbursed for a small number of other expenses, such as recreation. I think tutoring would be covered.

Have one in each in IL. The adopted child with special needs receive 836 per mo as a subsidy. We have medical cards on all. But we are paying for braces at this time because no dentist will take the medical card in our area. Very rural. I have all say in medical and school ares. We have gaurdianship of M, again mod-severe special needs (receive 1200) - main reason to get dcfs out of picture on all medical calls. With M at some point may have to be put in sometype of adult home. This way adult home will accept SSI. Third, at this time is foster D she is mod-severe special needs-shaken baby and missing corpus collusum (part of brain) Receive 1300 difference is two years between placement. At this time negotiating adoption subsidy. Hope this helps Mother of 420yo bson14yo s-gaurdianship13ys sadopted 20013yo d-foster first meeting with adoption cs last week