Advertisements
Advertisements
Hello. My plans to adopt have been around for several years, they are just now starting to become more of a reality and are getting closer. My goal is to begin the process in about a year maybe a little longer. I currently live in a 1 bedroom apartment and will probably be upgrading to a 2 bedroom when my lease is up in 06/09. I know that my homestudy wouldn't be approved being in a one bedroom apartment so I am not going to start the MAPP classes until I have moved and settled in. I would like to know if there is anything I should do to start getting prepared for adoption this far in advance. Any advice you can give to a single, 27 year old, female? I have a very stable, 9-5, M-F, job that I have been at for 7 1/2 years. I definitely know people that make more money than I do but I make a decent living, enough to support myself. I have no bio children and have never been married. I don't have a boyfriend and don't see myself getting married anytime soon, but that hasn't stopped my desire to adopt a child. I may have my own someday but adoption is my first choice. I am looking to adopt from DCF, a bi-racial boy or girl between 12 months to 3 years old. Anybody have any experiences to share with adopting through DCF or any advice? Thanks! :love:
Thanks for thinking of our needy kids. It's sounds like your pretty well settled and would make a great candidate to become a foster/adoptive parent. Here's your problem and I don't want to burst your bubble. If you are looking for straight adoption, it will be difficult unless it is a child with medical/physical disabilities. There is a very long waiting list for "healthy" children in that age range, in my county I believe its about a 2-3 year wait. It might be longer it might be less, but still a wait.
If you chose to foster with the hope of adoption, be prepared to have the children go home or to relatives. You might be lucky and have your first foster child become your adoptive child. It is more common then you think. Usually the younger kids are adopted by the foster family as they are easier to place and easier to adjust to new surroundings than older children.
I would like to adopt and when into this wanting to adopt but chose to foster as it increased my chances of adopting a younger child. I have been licensed for a year and have had my first foster son for almost a year. Though we don't know if he will ever become adoptable but there are other issues that go along with it. In the meantime, I am able to love him and give him a loving home. I don't know how I will react when/if he leaves but I need to keep in my mind that at least I was able to spend the time that I was able to with him.
If you are thinking of fostering, here are some guidelines, if your single, they will require a back up babysitter, that will need to be screened. A 1 bedroom is ok, but the child has to be under the age of 1, once they turn 1 they need to be in their own bedroom. So technically you could start the licensing process now, it will take roughly about 6 months. They will look to see if you are able to financially support yourself and this child (just in case the board rate did not show up for a short time).
It's actually a fairly simple process, you take the classes, get fingerprinted, answer a million questions about your life, they do a couple of in home visits. You get licensed. It can be frustrating but it's not rocket science.
Feel free to PM if you have questions.
Good Luck!
Advertisements
Another thing you may want to ask the SW is do you need to get approval from the landlord to foster there? Sometimes they require approval from the owner of the property or landlord in order to approve your license.