Pusherman

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

Its not easy if you plan to adopt a foster child. Everyone I know that has tried including my own parents had many adoption fall out before just giving up. Social workers are quick to say a child is there to stay and then change their mind and decide there is something else "better" for the child. Usually when that happens they take the child away with in a week. I have been through it multiple times thinking I finally had a new brother or sister but when they start going through the adoption process a bio family member comes forward and says they want them. When that happens they are gone some times with in 24 hours depending on what a judge orders. I have been through five failed adoption processes in a year with my parents and that is what happened every time. Ee also belong to a support group for families trying to adopt this way and every one of them has been through it more than once. Its sad because Im sure a lot more foster children would be adopted if the adoptive parents didn't have to go through loosing child after child that they where told they would have forever.

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

<blockquote><b>Quoting Salad Fingers:</b>" I would be doing it to try and make the life better for a child who doesn't have any other options. ... [snip!] ... their future. I read that in my state, there are around 1500 kids in foster care right now and about 300 are adopted annually."</blockquote>



Regardless of why you are doing it it doesn't make it any easier to get emotionally attached to someone because you think they will be with you forever and then have them taken away and then no longer be able to have any contact with them.

You didn't get many answers to this.

Up until oct I was a certified foster parent. Basically you apply, if they believe you'd be suitable they do a background check, if everything is good they put you through training, you fill out tons of paperwork basically telling them your entire life story and get lots of references on lengthy forms that your friends fill out for you. They verify your income and all your bills. You go through more training, get first aid, CPR and a fingerprint card. Then you do a home inspection.
After that's all done its all submitted to the state who ultimately decides whether to give you a license or not. The training took me 3 mos to complete, waited for approval for a month.
Once you're approved they find a child to place in your home, it could take a few days or a few months depending on the type of care you're trained for (reg foster care, ddd, adult dd or therapeutic). Once they find a child they bring them to your house, your caseworker and the CPS caseworker are supposed to visit the child within 3 days of placement but that doesn't always happen. And then visit monthly thereafter.
You have to go to all the hearings, case meetings and dr appts related to the child and you're given a specific case plan to follow that says when to give meds, when the child can talk to or see their bio family. You are required to facilitate them talking to or seeing the family.

When the child goes back to family it is usually something that happens over time, is talked about in hearings. Most older children have had their parents rights severed long ago so they are completely available for adoption. My mil has adopted 8kids through foster care, all were under 10 when they were avail for adoption.

Ummm that's pretty much it. Let me know if you have any questions gaga

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

Quoting Salad Fingers:" Thank you so much! This is very helpful and it would be amazing to be able to talk to someone who has ... [snip!] ... child into my home because I want to be able to give everyone the attention they need. Mind if I PT you to keep you handy?"

Sure thing