|
 |
    |
|
| |
 | |
| |
| |
| |
 | |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Home > About Adoption > Foster to Adopt
Foster to Adopt What is Foster to Adopt?
What is Foster to Adopt? There are three types of Foster-to-Adopt scenarios:
Why adopt? All children need the security of permanent family ties — even as they grow into adulthood. We all need someone to call when we get a new job, a place to go for the holidays, and someone to come and share the special events in our lives. The government does not usually make a good long-term parent for children. Placements that seem promising when a child is young often disrupt when the child reaches adolescence. When long-term foster care is the plan for a child, the disruption rate is between 28 and 50%. Long-term foster care is not a permanent solution. Studies show that even though many foster children feel attached to their foster parents, they still do not feel as secure about their placement when compared with children who have been adopted. Often social workers feel that a child who is attached to his or her foster parents would be emotionally harmed by a move. In fact, this is not borne out in research. Attachment research indicates that children with a healthy attachment are better able to separate from their attachment figure and form new attachments. That's not to say that it won't be difficult for the child to move from their foster home, but there is a good chance that they will be able to form attachments to their new caregivers. The outcomes for foster children are also one of the reasons we look to adoption as the preferred means for achieving permanence. Research shows that foster children are less likely to finish high school, more likely to be unemployed, more likely to be receiving public assistance, and more likely to be incarcerated as adults. Of children adopted after the age of four, outcomes show that 99% attended school, 66% enjoyed school, 88% of parents felt close to their child, and nearly 70% reported that the overall impact of adoption on the family was mostly or very positive. Ethically and morally we must do whatever we can to ensure that a child has a permanent, stable, secure, loving family to grow up in — a "forever family." How is adopting a child different from fostering him or her? The day to day activities of parenting a child look the same whether you are fostering or the parent of a child. There are meals to cook, laundry to do, discipline to administer, soccer games to go to, and hugs and kisses to give and receive. Some issues you may need to consider before applying to adopt are:
Once the adoption order is granted, you won't have social workers visiting your home any longer. The child will take on your last name. (Children 12 and up must consent to the adoption and name change.) You will make the decisions about medical treatment, school and recreational activities. The child will be entitled to inherit from you and share your estate equal to that of any of your other children. You are now financially responsible for the child's welfare until they are 19 (you may be eligible to receive maintenance funds). Adoption will not help a child to 'forget' his or her past. He or she will still have memories of his or her birth family, and any other foster homes, and will still grieve their loss. It is important that you realize that adoption is not a "fresh start" for a child. There will always be his or her past and you must help the child understand why they were adopted and help incorporate their experiences into your family life. You must honour the child's heritage and positive memories. What type of financial assistance am I eligible for once I adopt? People rarely choose to become foster parents because of financial incentives and no one chooses to adopt because of financial incentive either. But, every little bit helps to provide the necessary food, clothing, and access to services that a child needs. To receive Post-Adoption Assistance (PAA) the child must have a designated special service or special placement need and the adoptive family must demonstrate financial need. An income test is used to determine if you are eligible to receive PAA. The program has three components:
PAA agreements are negotiated for two-year periods at a time and are in effect up until the child turns 19. What is the application and approval process? First, you must discuss with your child's social worker or your resource worker your intention to proceed with adoption. You will then need to complete an adoption application. Once you have completed the application forms, return them to the adoption recruitment worker for your region. You will be required to have a new criminal record check, a new medical assessment, and four new references. You are responsible for any costs associated with completing these forms. You will then be asked to participate in the Adoption Education Program and the written family assessment; both of which make up the adoption homestudy. This assessment will determine your approval to adopt. Your adoption worker will review your foster home study and meet with you and any other members of the household to discuss the following:
A modified adoption homestudy will be written, and you will receive a copy of it and be given the opportunity to review it to ensure the information is correct and is an accurate reflection of you. Under the Adoption Act (1996), anyone who applies to adopt in BC, even through one of the licensed adoption agencies, must participate in an adoption education program. The Ministry's Adoption Education Program, called the AEP, is a structured classroom training that takes people through the process of adopting and covers information about why children are in foster care, the effects of abuse and neglect, separation and loss, the differences between adoptive and biological parenting, and the lifelong impact of adoption. Some of these issues will already be familiar to foster parents; however, the training is mandatory for everyone. Even experienced foster parents have found the AEP to be valuable in preparing themselves and their child for adoption. There is no cost to attend the AEP. What is the placement period? And when is the Adoption Order granted? When you sign an Adoption Placement Agreement, the placement period begins and your foster care agreement ends. The post placement period is a minimum of six months, during which time your adoption social worker will meet regularly with you and the child. Foster care payments end on the date of the Adoption Placement Agreement and you will now be obligated to do the following:
In addition, any openness agreements may be facilitated during this time and the cultural plan will be finalized. Once you have successfully completed the placement period, court documents are prepared and signed and an application is made to the Supreme Court for the adoption order. Neither your social worker nor you are required to be present at the court hearing. Once the order is granted, your social worker will provide you with a copy of the Adoption Order and a new birth certificate with the name change. Typically when a child is adopted, the caregivers choose to change the child's surname to their own. Changing the child's first or middle names will depend on the circumstances. Children between the ages of 7 and 11 must have their views documented for the court as to how they feel about the adoption plan and any name change. Children 12 and over must consent to the adoption and name change. Once the adoption order is granted, it is important that you mark or celebrate the change from foster care to adoption so the child really perceives the difference. Some foster children who have moved around may not understand what the fuss is about and they need to know that adoption is a major life event. You can have a party, a church ceremony, or send formal announcements to mark the adoption. Ask the child to help plan ways to commemorate this special occasion. For articles on fostering and adoption, visit our articles section. |
 |
Click here for a printer-friendly version of this page
