Counties dropping traditional 'fostering to adopt' programs?

My state still has a "straight adopt" program which we are doing. Obviously, we are still foster parents until we finalize but we were placed with FD after her bfather voluntarily terminated his rights and after bmom was scheduled for TPR. Her FFPs are amazing and are an older couple interested in fostering babies straight from the hospital. I don't know whether it is a good "policy" or not, but of course I am glad to have done it. And I like that we have never been in a position of having to "pretend" that we would support RU in the circumstances, because I do think there are a number of cases (we actually had two other potential "matches" like this) where I would not be able to do that. Ideally it seems like "concurrent" placements may be best, but I do see a role for people like FD's former FPs too....hard to know. Also, although we were told we would wait forever for a placement, there must be a need for adoptive parents...even our SW said her supervisor was asking when we would adopt again once FD's adoption is finalized.

So glad to hear there's still straight adoption in your state. There truly is a need for it. There's no reason to favor "only" fostering over "only" adopting when dealing with foster care. If all people "only" fostered, a lot of children would age out without permanent families. If all FPs were only adopted, well, the situation where people do change and are able to successfully parent after RU would not work out either. In cases where children can't go home, they need a permanent home, parents to be the wind under their wings. I think it's complex, not black and white, all or nothing.

In my area foster to adopt is helping kids in need while having adoption as a backup plan. If you do foster to adopt you can take legally free kids who may have a lot of issues or you can take legal risk that may not have as many problems because they were not moved aroung as much.

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I adopted my kids from foster care 11 years ago and this format isn't much different. We went through a private agency that did all the training & classes and they also "contracted" with the state agencies of various counties to place children with families. We did not want to foster and only accepted a placement when the parental rights were already terminated. Our kids were in the "30 day appeal process" when we were notified of them, so technically yes, the bparents could have delayed the process but our sw was pretty confident they would not and they didn't. Obviously for the first 6 months, they were our "foster children" until finalization. I highly recommend just being up front with your agency and let them know you only want to adopt children legally free. For us, going through a private agency made a big difference! Unfortunately they are no longer an agency so I can't recommend them to you. Crick:)

If you said this in our county, they'd laugh and say not possible unless you want older kids, large sibling groups or extreme special needs. No agency option here for adopting through the foster care system. Of course there are "rare" situations that come up, but I feel there in an inner circle these cases go to. Most of the time, it's just fostering and hoping for the best outcome. You can only take cases that look "better" for adoption in the end, but it's still about 50/50. They generally only put all babies and toddlers in homes willing to adopt so if they end up adoptable, they're adopted by the only foster home they've been in. This is why foster to adopt has become obsolete here. It's all concurrent planning. RU, relatives and then you're the back up plan's, back up plan. Crappy, but ultimately the best for the child, IMO. We are trained to support RU even if we would like to adopt and they encourage anyone just wanting to adopt not to take this route. They are very upfront about this in the orientation and I've heard it's not uncommon to for people to storm out (that and the requirement of a stay at home parent or opposite shifts for non school age children). You'd think they'd have trouble getting homes, but somehow they don't.

Hope - it's really too bad that your state doesn't even allow private agencies in to help families adopt children already legally free or whose plans are on the way to that point. I loved having a private agency to go through - had someone on our side helping us with the state and also helping us with the kids the whole way through, including after finalization right up to 2 years ago when they had to close their doors. Hopefully the OP can continue to do this through her agency though. (we are in the same state)

Thank you to everyone who posted their insight here. It has been a roller coaster for our family, but we are finally on our way to making our foster care adoption dreams come true (after a few hiccups). We were scheduled to begin training with Larimer County last year, when county management thought we may not be eligible to foster or adopt due to our citizenship situation (and canceled our training). After delving deeper into laws and regulations with higher-up state officials, they did confirm that we are fully eligible to foster and adopt. (We are Canadians on our way to obtaining citizenship in the US.) We can foster and adopt in the US because we are here legally, we just need background checks from both countries. To educate myself, I've been taking adoption webinars, reading this forum and adoption books and we begin training through Lutheran Child & Family Services this week.The system is very confusing and I was only able to make my way through the maze by personally interviewing private adoption agencies, people working in the public sector and those who have adopted from the foster care system. I still have much to learn.Since we are very clear in what we want - the permanent adoption of a little boy to complete our family - we cannot delve into foster parenting pretending we fully support reunification. (Bless those foster families who have the strength to do this. They are the world's unsung heroes.) We are interested in adopting a boy who is fully and legally available for adoption. adoptive placement is the right fit. We are being fully honest with what we are looking for and Lutheran Child & Family Services is willing to work with us.I hope our story helps. It's going to cost some money and we may have to wait (we are in no rush), but we are taking the direct path to what is best for our family. We want to love and make a difference in one little boy's life.I am so thankful to the amazing people on this forum. Thank you for your insight. I hope I am able to contribute as we finally move forward in our journey to adopt our first son (we have 2 biological daughters).

I'm in VA and we are in a foster to adopt program right now.

In wa, we told the state we would take kids that would most likely go to adoption. They called us with placements where the children coming into care had parents with histories of losing kids in the past/not working their plans/etc. It makes a lot of sense to place these babies up front with foster parents who want to adopt. We still had to wait it out, but they did become legally free based on the fact that the parents had not changed, and were unwilling to work their plans.

I agree with babyblux you can say no...her in Indiana we applied for foster to adopt but they have a different name for it we are considered a preadoptive home. However we are also considered foster parents, our first call was 3 children needing to be moved to a preadoptive home we said no at first it was sudden then me and dh talked and after 2 other calls and no to those who were fosters we decided to pursue the 3 kids that was until we got the call for Little man and little miss and they two are fosters for now goal is RU, but we never know. We are still in contact with LW and CW regarding the 3 kids needing a preadoptive.

I would Definitely Apply, for the Adoption Tax Credit!! Also with Foster Kids on the States Photolistings. The process is extremely competitive!! I would collect a Portfolio of what makes your Family unique and how other Parents see you as both of Parents. As well as a Family!! Best Wishes on Your Adoption Journey!!

Actually, in regards to my older post above, we do have a private agency that helps to get waiting children families, but they are all older, significant special needs and/or large sibling groups because any easier to place children don't get to the waiting children point here. Individual counties have enough homes waiting for these rare situations where the foster parents don't adopt. Just wanted to clarify that a private agency does exist for placing waiting children.

It differs not only state to state but county to county I guess because where I am we FOR SURE do not have straight foster to adopt. They kind of frown on it. They say are there to make families for children not for adults. That being said, no problems adopting from foster care.

Here's a curveball..... My first placement arrived 7/13/12 boy 2 and his sister 3 and 4. They were short term. We were foster only in our hearts when they came. Were waiting on TPR date. Our second placement arrived 6/9/13 as a short term placement brothers aged 2/3. The were scheduled to go home end of July, postponed RU 10/19/13 and bounced back 10/22/13.... Set to RU with dad 6/9/14 and he just got arrested. If this charge sticks and he ends up in jail for 12 months we will probably end up with 5 kids out of 2 placements in a foster only area.... Boys 3/4/4 and girls 5/6... So be flexible, go with the flow... You might be surprised at how big your life can feel at times.