Adopt U.S. Orphans Archives - We Are Their Future

Families that adopt U.S. children from the foster care system discover that adoption can be incredibly fulfilling and life-changing for both parents and children. Thousands of children in foster care are waiting for permanent, loving homes. If you have considered adoption and are interested in providing a stable and nurturing environment for a child in need, this article will guide you through the process of adopting from the U.S. foster care system.

Understanding the U.S. Foster Care System

The U.S. foster care system provides temporary care for children who are removed from their biological families due to abuse, neglect, or other reasons that prevent them from living safely at home. Typically, the primary goal of the foster care system is to reunite children with their birth families after assisting families in resolving the issues that caused the child or children’s removal. However, when reunification is not feasible, parental rights are severed, and adoption becomes an option to provide a permanent home for the child.

Eligibility Requirements to Adopt U.S. Children

Potential adoptive parents must meet specific eligibility requirements to adopt from the U.S. foster care system. These may vary from state to state but generally include:

Age: Adoptive parents must be at least 21, although some states may have higher age requirements.
Legal Status: Prospective parents must be legal U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
Background Checks: All adults residing in the household must complete criminal background checks and child welfare agency background checks.
Financial Stability: Demonstrating financial stability is essential, but there is no minimum income requirement.
Training and Home Study: Prospective parents will need to attend pre-adoption training sessions and undergo a home study conducted by a licensed social worker to assess their suitability to adopt. Building Arizona Families adoption agency provides this service for our Arizona adoptive families.

Adoption Research and Education

Before diving into the process of adopting U.S. children, educating yourself about the adoption journey and the needs of children in foster care is crucial. Attend adoption information sessions, workshops, and support groups to gain insights from experienced adoptive parents and professionals. Understanding the potential challenges and rewards of adopting from foster care will help you make informed decisions. Building Arizona Families offers a free, downloadable information kit on the adoption process. You can download it HERE. We also offer convenient online seminars. You can view the seminar schedule and RSVP HERE.

Choose an Adoption Agency or Facilitator

Choosing a reputable adoption agency or facilitator to assist you through the process. The adoption agency will provide guidance, support, and access to available children in the foster care system. Building Arizona Families is state licensed, experienced, transparent in costs and requirements, and has a strong track record of successful adoptions. We provide adoption services for Arizona families who are eligible to adopt U.S. foster children from around the country.

Complete Pre-Adoption Training

Prospective adoptive parents are required to attend pre-adoption training. These sessions offer valuable insights into the adoption process, the challenges faced by adopted children, and the resources available to support both the child and the adoptive family.

Adoptive Families Must Undergo a Home Study to Adopt U.S. Children

A home study is a comprehensive assessment of the prospective adoptive family’s suitability to provide a safe and nurturing home for a child. A licensed social worker will conduct interviews, review documents, and visit your home to ensure it meets safety standards. The home study replaces the need for adoptive families to be licensed to foster children. Building Arizona Families offers home studies. You can find out more HERE.

Matching and Placement

Once your home study is approved, you can proceed with the matching process. You share your preferences for the child or children you hope to adopt with your caseworker. Preferences can include gender, age, general health, and race. The agency will work with you to find a suitable match between your family and a child in foster care. This process involves considering the child’s needs, preferences, and your family’s abilities to meet those needs. After a match is found, you may visit and interact with the child before they are placed in your home.

The Legal Process and Finalization

The legal process to adopt U.S. children will vary based on your state’s laws. Once a child is placed in your home, you may have a period of foster care placement before the adoption is finalized. You will have ongoing support and supervision from the adoption agency or social worker during this time. After all legal requirements are met, the adoption will be finalized in court, granting you legal parental rights and responsibilities for the child.

Post-Adoption Support

There can be unique challenges involved with adopting U.S. foster children. Many adoption agencies offer post-adoption support services to help families navigate the adjustment period and address any possible difficulties. Support groups, counseling, and access to resources can be invaluable in ensuring a successful and happy adoption experience.

Conclusion

Adopting a child from the U.S. foster care system is a meaningful way to provide a loving and stable home for a child who has suffered significant trauma and needs a loving forever home in which to heal and flourish. The process may have its challenges, but with patience, dedication, and the proper support, it can be an incredibly rewarding journey for both the child and the adoptive family. Remember that each child is unique, and finding the right match requires time and consideration. By opening your heart and home, you can make a lasting difference in a child’s life and create a loving, forever family.

There is a great deal of information on our website about adoption through the foster care system, and a free, downloadable information kit is available here. We invite you to review the information and register for one of our informative online adoption seminars. You can view available dates and RSVP here. Additionally, please feel free to reach out to our Forever Families program manager, Ixcel Baca, by cell phone at 623-696-9537 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Building Arizona Families has been serving families since 2004, and we enjoy an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. More importantly, we are a licensed adoption agency through the Arizona Department of Child Safety’s Office of Licensing and Regulation. This means our adoption agency meets the criteria to facilitate adoptions and illustrates that we operate in the best interest of the children we serve. Please find out more about our licensed adoption agency HERE. Please reach out with any questions you have; it would be our privilege for We Are Their Future to serve you and your family!

Adopting foster kids in Arizona is an urgent matter. These children have been the victims of child abuse and/or severe neglect. When the issues that created the abuse have not been remedied and the children cannot safely be returned home, their biological parents’ rights are severed. When this happens, these abused children enter the care of the Arizona Department of Child Safety. They are placed in foster care – sometimes in emergency shelters, sometimes in foster homes, and sometimes in group homes, depending upon the situation and the availability. They move an average of 4-5 times per year from foster home to foster home, ending any attachment with the foster parents, often changing schools, and sometimes living with other foster children who have suffered the same fate. This harsh reality creates uncertainty in academic success and the pain of loneliness and rejection that no child should have to bear.

If there is a tug on your heart for hurting foster children, please consider opening your heart and home to adopt foster kids in Arizona. Every child removed from his or her family deserves more out of life than the suffering they have endured and the insecurity and loneliness they are currently experiencing. Imagine the pain each one of these children experiences from the loss of their own family, separation from the only life they have known, and sometimes not even having the opportunity to see their siblings often. Building Arizona Families encourages any family who wants to change a hurting child’s life to adopt foster kids in Arizona and bring love, joy, and peace into a child’s life.

Adopting Sibling Groups From Foster Care Keeps Them Stronger Together

Whenever possible when adopting foster kids, keeping siblings together is very important for their physical and emotional health and development. When a child is removed from their home for abuse and/or neglect, the trauma a child experiences is deep. To be split up from siblings and facing unknown circumstances alone is unbearable. The need is urgent, and the stories of families who are truly heroes are so heartwarming. One couple in Kansas wanted to make sure this wouldn’t happen to a sibling group so they adopted seven children and gave them a true family complete with their very own brothers and sisters!

Emerson, Autumn, Jaxon, Journey, Jace, Piper, and Sawyer grew up abused and neglected. They were removed from their home and entered the Kansas foster care system. Lisa and Gary couldn’t bear the idea of them suffering further, so they offered a safe and loving home to all seven siblings. In 2019, wearing all matching sports jerseys, the children were legally adopted and became a forever family. Before the adoption, it took over a year to get all the siblings together in one home after being separated in foster care. Lisa, the adoptive mother, could not see these children lose each other after everything they had already suffered.

When foster kids are adopted in Arizona or around the United States, sadly it is difficult to keep siblings together. Megan Prothe, a licensed adoption permanency specialist, stated, “It can be challenging in adoption to keep siblings together, but to do so makes a profound difference for children.” And that is what Lisa and Gary did when making the selfless decision of opening their home to seven foster kids in great need. Now they can share their lives together with their new forever family.

Are you Ready to Adopt Foster Kids in Arizona? Can You Open Your Heart and Home to a Hurting Child or Sibling Group in Desperate Need of Love and Stability?

Building Arizona Families invites you to consider adopting foster kids in Arizona and around the United States. Our licensed Arizona adoption agency serves Arizona families, and they are eligible to adopt a foster child from anywhere in the United States. Remember, contrary to what many people believe, you do not have to become foster parents before adopting foster children. We will help you walk through the direct adoption of children in the foster care system. Download our foster child adoption info kit HERE. Learn more about We Are Their Future and helping foster children in Arizona and around the United States, please visit us HERE to learn more ways to help foster children.

If you are interested in adopting Arizona foster kids, or foster children from anywhere in the U.S., we can invite you to attend one of our informative adoption seminars. You can also reach out to Ixcel Baca, Program Coordinator, directly and ask any questions you might have about our licensed adoption agency in Arizona. Ixcel would love to hear from you! You can reach Ixcel at (623) 696-9537 or by e-mailing her at [email protected]. Learn more about the Forever Families program Building Arizona Families offers to adopt foster children HERE. You can change the life of a foster child forever!

Source –

https://www.kxxv.com/news/national/couple-adopts-7-siblings-together-they-didnt-need-to-lose-each-other

https://dcs.az.gov/news-reports/dcs-reports

How to Adopt U.S. Children from the Foster Care System