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[FONT="Georgia"]First of all I wanted to say I am really happy I found this forum. I just joined today, and haven't really gotten a chance to read many of the threads but since I know there is lots of knowledge to be had here I decided to write my first post.
My fiance and I had considered International Adoption but a friend of mine who was unable to have her own children decided to go through the foster/adopt program in her state and has managed to adopt a brother and sister this past year. Since we are kind of hoping to adopt more than one child I was wondering how the foster/adopt program works. Does it cost the same as adoption directly from the birth mother at birth or is there more to it?
My fiance and I both love children and would welcome any child into our home. we believe that God is guiding us down this path for a reason. Because of a genetic disorder that runs in my family we have decided against having biological children. although I wouldn't mind adopting a child with special needs. We would prefer to foster infants but would go as high as 5 years old. How do we go about becoming foster/adopt parents? Do you go through a home study? This is something we are considering applying for in about year because we are moving to another state but we are trying to educate ourselves so that we will be prepared when the time comes.[/FONT]
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Welcome :) When you get settled and ready to start, contact your local DCF(Depart of Children & Familys) or what ever your new state calls it :) They will have an orientation you will need to attend and will do a basic background :) Then you are off to PRIDE classes to education yourself about the system and how it works. Adoption throught the Foster system is MUCH less then a private domestic adoption. Most families end up paying less then $1500 in fees and paperwork to finalize their adoptions. Depending on where you are, you may wait a very long time to receive an infant who will be adoptable. Some areas seem to have more infant placements then others. Mainly just read, read, read everything you can :) I would suggest going back and reading old posts. If there is a forum for the State you will be living in make sure to go back and read there too :) Things are very different from coast to coast and everywhere in between :)
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Welcome to the forums. You will find lots of support and help here. As for the process of foster/adopt, the details can be a little different in each state but the basic process is this:
You can be licensed through either the state(Child Protective Services/CPS) or a private agency. Which depends on the state and the rules there, but most states have a series of classes to prepare you to foster called PRIDE or something similar. You will past an FBI background check with your fingerprints and criminal background as well. The home study is done as part of your licensing. You do not pay for it separate. That cost paid by the licensing agency. You will prepare your home based on the standards of your state. The usual things are to have fire detectors, enough floor space/area for the number of children you want to foster/adopt and doign things like having medicines locked up and cleaning products either locked or inaccessible.
When children are taken into care by the state, they look for a home which matches the needs of the children and each state has it's own way of doing this too. These children are not free for adoption. That is a long road and happens after the rights of the parents have been legally terminated by the courts and no other relatives are available to take the children.These children are called "legal risk". Children already in care who are free for adoption are called "legally free" and are probably in a foster home that does not want to adopt them.
I would suggest calling your local CPS office and find out about an informational meeting and just go to one. You can also call a private agency too. You don;t have to be ready to do it now, to get some really good information and begin to figure out some of the details. Since you have stated that you are interested in infants, I will tell you that a lot of agencies and CPS will tell you they don't need foster parents for those ages, but don't believe them. This is the most requested age range and while there may be more families looking for those ages, it just means you might have a longer wait. Again, it all depends on the state and county you are in.
I am in East Texas and take ages 0-9. So far, I have had 5 kids, 4yrs old and under and only one call for a 10 yr old. All my other calls have been for under 4 even though I have not been able to take them all.
When you are licensed through the state or an agency, it does not cost like a private adoption. The state pays most of the costs associated with fostering.
[FONT="Georgia"]Thanks for your replying so quickly! I will be sure to get in contact with child protective services in my state and see what needs to be done in order to become a foster mom. I am really looking forward to this journey and hope that one day God blesses me and my fiance with many foster children. Although we really want to adopt I look forward to meeting and providing for children of all ages. Right now I'm going to try to find as many books and material I can on foster care and adoption. I love to do research and can't wait to start the journey that's ahead of us.Thank you so much for answering my questions :). [/FONT]