Families Who Foster/Adopt Kids Provide a Dream Come True

Children are placed under state custody for several reasons, but this is never the fault of the child. One of the major dilemmas in the world today is that some biological parents fail to provide for or protect their children, and in many cases, reunification is never achieved. When this happens, parental rights are terminated, and the child or children are typically made available for adoption.

Who Is Capable of Fostering a Child?

It takes an open, committed and loving family to share their home with a foster child. For whatever reason a child is in state custody, there are undoubtedly circumstances that put them in the foster care system that were completely out of the child’s control. The emotional or physical needs of a child in foster care may be varied. It is important that foster children receive care, nurturing and supervision in an emotionally stable and safe home environment.

Potential foster parents must be at least 21 years of age and able to pass an extensive background check. In fact, one of the first parts of the process requires a state and federal criminal background check and child abuse clearance on everyone in the home who is age 18 and older. To obtain these clearances, a one-time full set of fingerprints is needed along with an approval certification from each state registry where an applicant has lived over the past five years.

What Else Is Necessary to Become Licensed to Foster?

• A current physical and tuberculosis test
• A safety check of the home
• A completed home study
• Financial stability but not abundant wealth
• References from non-family members
• Completed parental training

A home study is conducted by a social worker who outlines the strengths of the family applying to become a foster or adoptive home. A social worker can also be the perfect resource to assist families in identifying their strengths and then help to match them with a child who is waiting for a foster/adopt home.

Children living within the foster care system may be considered an emotional special needs adoption because of abuse and neglect they have endured. Some of the children in foster care have physical disabilities or suffer from birth defects or illness. The needs of children can vary as much as their personalities do, but all children want and deserve to be loved.

What Is Irrelevant and Not a Condition of Foster Care Licensing?

• Marital status
• Owning or renting a home
• Gender and sexual orientation

Thousands of children across the country are hoping for a forever family that they can call their own. By nature, children have an inherent capacity to trust adults to do what is in their best interest. This is exactly the approach the family court systems across the country take when it comes to any child who is eligible for special needs adoption. When abuse or neglect have broken a child’s ability to trust, he or she may be adversely affected by physical and emotional scars. It is possible with proper care, nurturing and a loving environment that a child can heal from the scars and lead a full and productive life. Foster parents and adoptive parents have an opportunity to influence the lives of children in a meaningful way.

For more information and some adoption tips, contact a PA adoption lawyer who can guide you when it comes to the ins and outs of adoption.

If you are considering adopting a child who needs a forever family, please contact Donald C. Cofsky at the main office in Haddonfield, New Jersey, at (856) 429-5005; in the Woodbury, New Jersey, office at (856) 845-2555; or in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, office at (215) 563-2150.