More On...

Moving from Foster Care to Adoption
By Sharon Goedkoop, Casey Family Services

Adopting a foster child through the state child welfare system is one way to form a family... In spite of the very real difficulties in forming an adoptive family through foster care, many families do successfully manage to get through the process. If you wish to adopt a child who is in foster care, these are some considerations that will aid you in this process:

Learn as much as you can about the child you will be adopting and the kind of parenting which s/he will require.
Request special education, physical and psychological evaluations as needed. Ask questions about anything you don't understand.

If your child has special needs, enlist the social worker in obtaining services to meet these needs.

Try as much as possible to stay on friendly terms with the birth family or, at least, maintain a neutral stance in front of the child.
Remember that the high intensity of emotions will fade and the birth parents may become your allies when they realize that you recognize that they will always have some place in their child's life. When possible, find positive things to say about the birth family. Your child will identify with her/his birth family and will internalize criticisms of them as criticisms of her/himself.

Speak out in treatment team meetings.
If the visitation plan or other aspects of the case plan seem unrealistic or harmful, ask your child's therapist to join you in addressing this issue with the social worker and legal system.

Before you adopt, learn about available financial support and services.
In Vermont, special needs foster children are usually eligible for adoption subsidy, Medicaid and other services. Make sure that these supports are in place before you sign the adoption agreement.

Access pre- and post-adoption services.
Casey and other agencies offer services, including counseling and groups for parents and children. You can also be eligible for respite and case management through the local mental health center.

Make connections with other adoptive parents.
Parent groups can be invaluable sources of information and support. As much as possible, keep a sense of humor, take care of yourself and support your spouse and the other members of your family.