What If You Didn’t Have a Family?
Yesterday, I participated in a Twitter conversation/conference about adoption from foster care, and I learned a lot — particularly about an organization called AdoptUsKids. It is the mission of AdoptUsKids to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States.
During the conversation, I was touched by the repeated stories of people who had been in foster care as children. One woman, who was never adopted, talked about how hard it was once she went away to college because she didn’t have anywhere to go when the campus shut down for the holidays. Since November is National Adoption Month, this is the perfect time to share with you some of the things I’ve learned about adoption and foster care, such as:
- The cost to adopt from foster care can be minimal and may be reimbursed.
- AdoptUsKids is a great place to find answers to questions if you are considering foster and/or adoption.
- You can search for kids who are available for adoption by state, age and race on AdoptUsKids.
- African American children comprise 31 percent of the children waiting to be adopted.
- There are more than 500,000 children in foster care waiting for adoption.
- This year, AdoptUsKids is giving special attention to finding families for the kids that have been waiting the longest to be adopted.
- These kids waiting to be adopted don’t need perfect parents (no such thing), they need loving homes.
- In many cases, health care, daycare and many other expenses (sometimes even college tuition) are provided to families that care for these children.
- Every state has its own guidelines on adoption. You can find this
information here. - Information about adoption subsidies is available here.
- AboutUsKids website has information about foster parenting
http://bit.ly/3hGo0C and the seven step journey to fostering/adoption http://bit.ly/3tR4Pl. - If you would like to speak with someone regarding the adoption process, you can reach AdoptUsKids at 1-888-200-4005.
AdoptUsKids provides a national photolisting Web site that contains photos and information about children in foster care, so you can get to know more about these kids who so desperately need families.
Maybe you’re not in a place to adopt right now, or even to be a foster family. But there are certainly other ways you can help, which you can learn about here.
You also can learn more about this important topic by following @perfectparent on twitter and by becoming a fan of AdoptUsKids on Facebook.
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#1 Amy on November 12, 2009:
My better half and I talk about adoption as a viable option for us following my graduation from grad school. We both would love to be able to offer an older child a good home and a family filled with both diversity and love and boy do we have a lot of love to give. I think adoption is such an amazing thing to do, family is the most amazing ‘gift’ you can give someone. I could never imagine not having someone to turn to when I needed them most.
#2 swimclubmom on November 16, 2009:
I believe you touched on this, but many people do not realize when you adopt a child from foster care, many states pay for additional expenses aside from legal and medical needs – sometimes until the child turns 18. It depends on the state (cost of living), financial situation of the family, age of the child at adoption, nationality and more. This monthly subsidy is reviewed every two years and continues even if you move out of state. For several years, a family member in California received $1000. per month, per child. (she adopted two from foster care). Her children are now thriving. It’s worth looking into.