The Truths About Foster Care and Adopting a Child

Carmen D. Lade

It’s Too Expensive

The fact is that many prospective foster carers don’t realise that adopting from foster care is free, while using a private agency costs a fortune, potentially. There are many agencies that offer adoption assistance in employee benefit packages which include leave time to help a child adjust, financial incentives and much more. Also, the government may help offset fees associated with being a foster carer or adopting. So honestly, it’s not too expensive. No more so than having biological children is.

Those considering becoming foster carers should check with funded programmes that offer financial assistance for those children who are able to be adopted and have special needs. Those needs include:

· Children over 8 years of age

· Minority children

· Children with emotional or physical disabilities

· Children with histories of risk for special needs

In most cases, these children are eligible for medical benefits until they are 18 years of age. Special needs is actually a misleading term, as these kids may just need to be placed with siblings, or they have emotional concerns as any child who needs to be adopted would.

Adopting from Foster Care is Too Difficult

Efforts have been made to streamline the adoption process, and it’s not as difficult as it once was. There are laws that ensure kids in foster care are freed for adoption if they can’t be reunited with their parents, and they should be placed with a loving family as soon as possible.

Sadly, there are not enough loving families for foster children. Many wonderful prospective parents may desire adopting an infant, but only because they are uninformed of older children who also are in dire need of families. Many find it’s easy to fall in love with these older children, and gain much from the fact they’ve made a huge impact on a child’s life. Truthfully, an older child can make the transition easier because they can express their feelings about joining a new family.

As a Foster Carer One Must Be Perfect

Prospective foster carers and adoptive parents don’t have to be married, own a home or be rich! Further, they don’t have to be of a particular race, sexual orientation or age. More importantly they should be able to commit to the child’s well-being, and be patient and loving. These are the characteristics that agencies are looking for. A sense of humor also helps!

There’s No Support After Adoption

Financial assistance doesn’t stop once the child is placed or adopted. They are always eligible for subsidies that help offset costs in association with post-adoption. These include monthly cash allotments, social services and medical. A proper agency can help the foster carer get what they need to support the child.

There are also many programmes put in place that give financial assistance to some adoptive kids who carry special needs. They’re offered to children through the 18th birthday, and medical is offered to age 21.

Children Adopted by a Foster Carer Have “Baggage”

This is perhaps the largest and most terrible misconception of any. Foster children are just like any other child, they can thrive in a good environment and achieve success if the foster carer supplies them with a stable environment full of love, patience and kindness.

Truthfully, even biological children struggle, so either way being a parent or being a foster carer requires that one commit themselves to the success and happiness of the child.

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