Why is adopting an 18 year old or above less risky!!

J-

October 13, 2010

Dear forum member,

Thanks for the input.

( On Oct 14 2010 (in about 10 hours) we are married

for 10 years! Best wishes, J-and-M )

About the following: (from forum member)

Do you have resources set up to deal with the following: Reactive Attachment Disorder, Juvenile/Adult court systems, Drug/Alcohol abuse, employment services, educational services, psychiatric services, learning disabilities, biological family/reunification services, the legal ramifications (both for you and the adoptee) of adult adoptions?

I think we have these services in PA for those

who need them.

Should we assume that the 18 year old kid will need them? Kids are going to the streets with no place to go.

If they are aging out of the system and want a mom

and dad I think families with no kids (like us) have

very little to lose by adopting. If we do not get along

what is the worst that can happen? Having

kids adopted or not is risky. Which is more risky adopting a 15 year old or an 18 year old? I would

say a 15 year old.

About the following: (from forum member)

I am concerned that you, other adoptive families, or the adults that are adopted end up getting hurt or taken advantage of. I can't say that Children and Youth always get it right, but at least there are some safeguards for both families and kids... with your scenario, where are the safeguards?

I do not knew what to say.

I am sure you have just as big a heart as we have

and I am sure that you read many articles like this one

and like us it makes you cry.

[url=http://cflhomeless.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/homeless-at-age-18-%E2%80%93-aging-out-of-foster-care/]Homeless at age 18 – aging out of foster care [/url]

Again about safeguards?

I will give it a try.

#1 We are talking about adults.

#2 The family that wants to adopt and the

adults wanting to be adopted would be asked

by the adults adoption agency to agree to

having a criminal background check done.

#3 The family that wants to adopt and the

adults wanting to be adopted would ask for

references and take all the time they need

before meeting each other.

#4 The biggest safeguard is in that the law is not

forcing said adults to live together. The

idea would be to have a caring family where we

look out for each other but all families have ups and

downs and then ups again.

Again which is more risky adopting a 15 year old or an 18 year old? I would say a 15 year old because the

law makes you live together.

BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE

ADULTS BELIEVE THat FOSTER KIDS AGING OUT

ARE TO RISKY AND THE KIDS AGING OUT WILL

NOT PUT UP PROFILES AS THEY HAVE GIVEN UP

AND DO NOT WANT TO BE LET DOWN.

A note to you that did age out of foster care.

You are less risky to adopt because the law will not

make us live together. I believe all families have ups

and downs and I believe you are good kids just like

more than 95% of kids. I think less then 5%

of ALL kids have bad intent. I.e. more then 95% of

ALL kids have good intent. If you have given up hope

of finding a mom and dad I understand but I want to

see if an adult adoption agency could work.

Lets see if this could work!

J-and-M