It’s national adoption awareness month. And, for those looking to adopt or trying to grow their families temporarily or permanently, foster care is an option. Debbie Worthen and her husband got licensed about five years ago. She joins us this morning to answer some of the biggest questions about foster care and foster to adopt.
1. Whether you are adopting through a private company or hoping to adopt through foster care, there are going to be hurdles and bumps in the road. Sometimes serious heartbreak - whether that is a birth mom changing her mind about placing her child for adoption or fostering a child that you give back to parents after getting attached like they are your own.
I would argue that every devastating heartbreak is made worth it when you finally adopt a child.I would do it a hundred times if I was 20 years younger. :)
2. Not all foster families want to adopt. There are different scenarios that fit many different needs.
3. You can specify what placements you are willing/able to accept. When we first got licensed so many people would ask us if we get to say “no” to a placement. OF COURSE! We obviously wouldn’t take a teen boy with a sex abuse history. That’s too dangerous for our family. You work with counselors to determine what placements would be best for your family.
4. In order to foster babies 0-2, you must be a foster-to-adopt family. Bonding is so critical at this time that the hope is really they won’t get moved around a lot.
5. About half of all kids go back to their birth families.
There are no guarantees that a foster family will ever get to adopt.
6. Foster parents get paid, monthly and you qualify for all kinds of help with formula, food, etc.
7. As a foster parent, your child is on medicaid, Additionally, they are eligible for TONS of resources.
8. How much is it to adopt through foster care? With a rebate it’s FREE! Which is huge. And, you get a giant tax refund the year your adoption is final.
9. Finally… if you’re considering it, try it.