Where Do I Begin?

Answers to Your Questions About Adoption and Foster Care

What’s the difference between foster care and adoption?

Foster care is initially meant to be temporary; adoption is meant to be permanent.

Foster parents’ primary role is to help in efforts to reunite the child and their birth family. This may include visits between the child and birth parents, (when appropriate), taking a child to counseling (if needed), and working closely with the foster care worker. Children may stay in the foster home for several days, weeks or months – perhaps even a year or longer – while birth parents are working to resolve the issues that brought the children into care in the first place. Sometimes, children are unable to return home; it is then that the court terminates parental rights, and the child becomes available for adoption.

Adoptive parents become the child’s legal parent. Their lifelong commitment and responsibility are no less important than if the child was born to them.

What kinds of children are waiting for adoption?

Typically, there are three different types of adoption:

1. International adoption means adopting a child from a country other than the United States. The kinds of children available varies by country. Also, each country has certain restrictions about the types of families that can adopt, including age and marital status. Adoption fees for an international adoption can range from $10,000 to $25,000.
2. Infant adoption involves adopting an infant at birth. Birth parents almost always choose the family they wish to adopt their child, and there is often some “openness” in infant adoption. The amount of openness in an infant adoption is decided upon by the birth parents and adoptive parents, and may include photographs, letters, and possibly even visits. Families adopting an infant spend thousands of dollars, and may wait upwards of three years for a placement. It is estimated that each year there are 25,000 infants available for adoption -- and one million families waiting for those infants.
3. Waiting child adoption – or adopting a child from the foster care system – is often referred to as special needs adoption. That term often makes people think of children with severe problems or limitations, such as a wheelchair. In reality, it means a child or children that may be harder to place than a healthy infant. Waiting children fall into one or more of the following categories:
   • Children who may have emotional, mental, learning, or physical impairments;
   • Children who are part of a sibling group that must be placed together;
   • Children of minority heritage; and/or
   • Children over the age of five (Caucasian children over the age of nine or 10).

Many waiting children have had traumatic past experiences that may include physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and/or severe neglect. Others may have been born drug or alcohol exposed.

What’s the difference in the adoption process for an infant versus a waiting child?

While a family interested in adopting an infant can expect to wait possibly several years before a child is placed in their home, a family interested in adopting a waiting child won’t wait nearly as long -- in fact, it could be a matter of months before a child is placed in the home. Infant adoptions can cost thousands of dollars in fees and expenses. Expenses for adopting a child from foster care are minimal.

Why are there no younger, healthier children available for adoption in the foster care system? Why are so many of the children older?

In Michigan, half of all adoptions from the foster care system are of children under the age of five. Many of those children are part of a sibling group that includes older children, and are not available by themselves. Also, almost all of those younger children are adopted by a relative or a foster parent.

Should I become a foster parent so I can adopt a younger child?

Not necessarily. Because foster care is considered to be a temporary placement, it is not a good idea to become a foster parent with the expectation that you’ll be able to adopt any child placed in your care. A foster parent is expected to work with the agency and birth parents, in the hopes that the family will be reunited. A foster parent must be objective, and must be able to let go of a child if and when it comes time for that child to leave the foster home.

Sometimes, however, children are unable to return home. Once parental rights are terminated, relatives and foster parents will be given consideration for adoption.

Why can’t I adopt just one child in a sibling group?

Children in the foster care system have already experienced a great deal of loss. They have lost their parents, their friends and families, even their homes. Often, they have also lost their school, their neighborhood, their toys and their clothes. In many cases, the only loss they haven’t experienced has been their brothers or sisters. Michigan’s policy is to act in the best interests of the children. Siblings are placed together unless there’s an important reason to separate them.

I’ve seen children on the internet that I’m interested in adopting. What is the process?

The process starts just as it does for any other adoption – you must first complete an adoption Family Assessment. Whether the child is in Michigan or another state, the child’s worker must first consider families with completed Family Assessments. It is important to remember that the process usually takes at least three months; if you have your heart set on a child you’ve seen on the internet or somewhere else, it’s possible that child will already be placed with a family by the time your Family Assessment is complete. Having your Family Assessment completed before you begin searching for children is important; you and your worker will decide what kind of child best fits into your family during the process.

Is a foster care license the same thing as an adoption assessment?

No. While foster care licensing and adoption Family Assessments are alike in some ways, they are completely separate processes. A family with a foster care license will still need to complete a Family Assessment in order to adopt.

What is the first step in becoming a foster parent or an adoptive parent?

The first step is to find an agency to complete your licensing (foster care) or Family Assessment (adoption). If you are interested in foster care, your local Department of Human Services (DHS) agency will be more than happy to help you. If you are interested in adoption only, there are many private agencies available.

When you first contact an agency, be sure to ask them plenty of questions. There are no “stupid” questions – any question you have is important enough to be answered. You may want to ask questions such as:

• How long will the Family Assessment or licensing process take?
• Will I have to pay any fees?
• How long will I wait until I am identified as a resource family for a child?

Feel free to call several agencies and ask them the same kinds of questions before making a final decision. Be sure you feel comfortable with the agency you choose; you will be working closely with them for a long period of time, and will be sharing private and personal information. They will also become your strongest ally and advocate in this process.

Do I have to be married to adopt or be a foster parent?

You don’t have to be married to adopt or foster a child or children. Many children will thrive in a single parent home.

Do I have to own my own home?

You don’t have to own your own home to adopt or foster a child. A rented house or apartment is fine, as long as there is adequate bedroom space per child. The home must be free from health and fire hazards, and must have a safe play area for children.

Do I need to make a lot of money?

You do not have to be rich to adopt or be a foster parent. Even if you receive some type of financial assistance, you are still eligible to adopt or provide foster care as long as you have resources to provide for your family.

What are the qualifications for becoming a licensed foster parent?

Anyone applying to become a foster parent must meet all of the following qualifications:

• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Be of good moral character.
• Be willing to provide care for children who are in foster care.
• Understand the care which must be provided to the children, or express a willingness to learn how to provide that care.
• Have enough time to provide care and supervision for the children.
• Have a specific source of income, and be capable of managing that income, to meet the needs of the foster family.
• Be of such physical, mental, and emotional health to be able to properly care for the children.
• Be willing to work with a child’s birth or adoptive family, and be able to show that willingness.
• Be able to assure the proper care and safety of children.
• Be willing to comply with the licensing rules for foster homes.

What will happen as I go through the foster care licensing process?

The foster care agency will provide an orientation to anyone interested in becoming a foster parent. You will also have to complete a specific foster care training process. If you decide to apply to become a foster parent, police clearances and a check for a child protective services history will be done on all adults in the home. Medical statements will be required for all members of the household. The agency will also do a study to be sure a family will be able to comply with all foster care licensing regulations.

I’ve decided I want to adopt. Now what do I do?

The first step in any adoption is a Family Assessment, also known as a homestudy. Families must be approved through the Family Assessment process before a child can be placed in their home for adoption. The Family Assessment consists of a series of meetings between the family and an adoption worker. It provides an educational opportunity for the family to learn more and seriously consider their motivations and expectations for adoption. It also gives the adoption worker a chance to get to know the family.

The Family Assessment process usually takes three months to complete, depending on factors such as worker caseload and family cooperation. The process typically consists of a number of meetings at the agency as well as personal interviews conducted by an adoption worker in your home. The study generally includes the following:

Personal History - A complete history and evaluation of your current family life and past experiences -- and how they will affect your capacity to parent an adoptive child -- is written. This helps the adoption worker decide how a child will fit into your family, and determine what type of child might do best in your home. Children living in the home are also interviewed (depending on their age and level of understanding) regarding their feelings about an addition to their family and what adoption means to them. Also, if there are other adults in the home (parents, aunts, cousins, live-together partners), they will also be interviewed extensively.

Health Statements - Everyone in your home will need to provide a medical history and a recent physical (within one year). A medical condition that is under control (high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) usually would not prevent a person being approved to adopt; however, a serious health problem that affects how long you might live may prevent approval.

Criminal Background Check - You will need to complete a state police check and Protective Service clearance. Some counties may also require local police clearances, as well.

Income Statement - You will be asked to provide proof of your income, such as a copy of an income tax form, a paycheck stub, or a W-2 form. Bank statements and insurance policies may also be requested.

Personal References - You will be asked to provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three unrelated individuals who can share their knowledge about your experience with children, the stability of your marriage and/or household, and your motivation to adopt.

What happens once my Family Assessment is completed? How long will it take for a child to be placed in my home?

Once your Family Assessment is complete, you may start inquiring about children your family is interested in. Your adoption worker will share information about your family -- including your Family Assessment -- with the child’s worker. Usually, children’s workers gather information on multiple families at the same time, in order to find a family that best meets the needs of the child. Once the family has been chosen, the child’s worker will share more in-depth, detailed information with the family’s adoption worker. Usually called a Child Assessment, this report contains information such as how the child came into foster care, how long the child has been in care, how many placements the child has lived in, and any diagnoses the child may have. It is then up to the family to decide if they want to proceed with an adoptive placement.

Families and children need time to get to know one another. Visitation will take place in a way that is best for the child and family, and may include afternoons visits, overnight visits, and even weekend visits. It is up to the child’s and family’s workers to determine the schedule, including when a child will make the final move into a family’s home.

These same procedures apply for families adopting a child from another state. Families need to be prepared to travel to the state the child lives in for at least an initial meeting and visit, and perhaps even an extended stay.

Is there some kind of financial assistance available if I choose to foster or adopt a child?

Financial assistance in the form of a subsidy may be available when adopting children from the foster care system. There is also financial assistance available for those who provide foster care. Neither is meant to cover all expenses incurred in raising a child; rather, these payments are meant to help offset some of the cost. The amount paid is dependent on the needs of the child, and not the family. The amount is set by the State agency responsible for the child’s care. In the case of adoption, subsidy eligibility must be determined before the petition for adoption is filed, and a subsidy agreement must be signed before the adoption is final.

This information has been sponsored by the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, and the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange