Foster Adoption

Foster adoption refers to a family adopting a child/ren who has lived with them as a foster child. Often hopeful adopting parents provide foster care for a child/ren prior to the time when they become legally free for adoption so the child/ren's home and family is consistent and secure. It is also common for foster parents to decide to adopt a foster child after they have been foster parents for that child.

In the past, children remained in foster care for lengthy periods of time, being transferred from one foster care family to another. This is no longer the case due to the Adoption and Safe Family Act. Now federal law required state foster care agencies to expedite the process of making foster children available for adoption in a timely manner. Family reunification efforts are always the first consideration. If these efforts fail, the children's parents' rights are terminated and children become legally free for adoption. This law has increased the number of children who are adopted as a result of foster adoption.

All foster children dream of being part of a permanent family. To consider foster adoption look into becoming licensed for foster care and talk to an adoption social worker about fostering and adopting a child from the foster care system. The foster care system is well equipped to assist potential adopting parents in the fostering and adoption of children. To find out more about this process contact your local adoption agencies for more information. Foster children that are legally free for adoption can be viewed at Adoptable Kids. Many great articles about foster adoption have been written such as A Parent's Perspective and others.