The foster care system throughout the United States attempts to provide homes for those children who need to leave an abusive or neglectful family situation. While this system does work to provide safe places for these children, it is only a temporary solution. However, families in Georgia and all over the country have the opportunity to go through the adoption process with a child in foster care.
Unfortunately, many Americans believe that the children in foster care have some kind of criminal record or special needs. This is not the case for the majority of children in the system; rather, they simply do not have a place to call home because of abandonment or other reasons. While some children are listed with special needs in the foster care system, these needs may just be that they are older or part of a sibling group, making it more challenging for them to be adopted.
Some people fear that going through foster care to adopt a child can be more expensive that private or international adoption, but this is not oftentimes the case. Additionally, some of the adoption cost is covered by the state, and the adoptive family may be able to receive financial aid for the child’s college education as well. Families that have adopted children from foster care say again and again that it is worth the wait.
Whether one chooses to adopt a teenager, an infant or a sibling group, it will be a moment that forever changes the lives of those involved. Providing children with a forever home through foster care adoption is an amazing way to show love and grow one’s family. For those in Georgia with questions regarding adoption from the foster care system, seeking assistance from those with experience in family law can make the process more understandable and less challenging.
Source: today.com, “Adopting from foster care: 6 myths that aren’t true”, Emma Davis, Aug. 4, 2015