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So this evening we were visited by a new sw who was looking to find out whether or not we would keep my niece and nephew forever if it came to it in the next few months as well as to take other family members information so they could be contacted in case we were to say no at some point. We asked if it did come adoption would we still receive financial assistance if we did adopt...we are still young and starting out and make enough to support ourselves, but supporting two kids as well is another story. She said children who were in foster care through CPS do, we would continue to receive our monthly check and have day care paid for, even their college would be paid for in the future, and they'd still have medical. Is this true? It is such a relief if it is an makes us lean that much more to keeping them if we got the option, this was a big fear of ours. We still want biological children as well and the thought of paying for both is a bit daunting. Of course this would not be the only reason we kept them or didn't. Anyhow, has anyone else adopted in CA and found this to be true? Sometimes I feel like they talk things up and it's good for a few months and then the end. Any BTDT?
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I am in the process of adopting in CA. I will continue to get a stipend. I understand it will be coming from the state instead of the county. Just in case there is an overlap where the state checks are delayed, I have put aside a couple of months stipends to draw from. I understand my subsidized childcare will end at finalization. It comes from a special program not affiliated with CPS, so your area may be different. The kids will go on our insurance, but will receive Medi-cal until 18 as a secondary insurance so we will never see a doctor bill. I understand there is a program to help with college, but I don't think its completely free. We plan to use part of our stipend to start a 529 plan for the kids.
Not all foster kids in California get a stipend, but yours will qualify because they are over the age of 3 and are a sibling set. It will equal the basic rate of foster care per month.
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Okay that sounds a bit more correct, we started 529's as some time ago as they are my niece and nephew, but it'd be nice if there was a book or something, as a kinship placement I feel we get minimal information and everything gets presented much better than it turns out to be often, but I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this way.
I totally feel that way! THe only reason I'm a bit better informed than you is that I have been a regular foster parent as well & I'm also further along in the case. I tried to set up 529s. I call their mom my neice since I also fostered her sister & I'm really close to their family ever since. However, she's actually my cousin's daughter so I'm not a close enough relative to do it.
I figure the stipend will pay for daycare and the 529s. Like I said your daycare program could be different than mine so the rules could be different. Raising my kids will not be a very big financial burdon, and that's a big relief to us as we also are putting two kids through college and have one year old twins.
I adopted 2 kids in California. I receive adoption assistance for both of them. It is my understanding that most (if not all) adoptions from foster care in California qualify for adoption assistance and free Medi-Cal until the child turns 18. I also receive WIC because they are under age 5. Even though my income is too high to normally qualify, I qualify anyway because they have Medi-Cal. The only subsidized daycare program in my area is not related to foster care, but they qualified as foster children based on their income (but they never made it into the program due to a long waiting list). Once adopted, they no longer qualified because my income is too high. The only college aid that I have heard of for former foster children is for those who either aged out or were adopted as teenagers.
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