Adopting a child tends to come with many unknowns, causing prospective adoptive parents to question whether or not they truly want to go through this process. This is especially true when it comes to foster care adoption. With the bureaucratic procedures varying by state and the outcome for the child being up in the air, families are often hesitant to pursue this option for adoption. However, family lawyers in Georgia can provide guidance to those ready to begin this process.
The hope for children in foster care is that they will be able to permanently return to their birth parents. Unfortunately, this is often not the case, leaving thousands of children ready to be adopted. The challenge lies in the fact that these children may be in foster care for years prior to the termination of the parental rights.
In this waiting period, foster parents may fall in love with a child whom they do not know whether or not they will be able to adopt. Additionally, most adoptive parents want an infant or toddler, although the average age of a child in foster care is 8 or 9. These children, as well as those with special needs or sibling groups, have the most difficult time finding their forever home.
While the process may be long and uncertain, families throughout the United States admit that they would not change a thing once that child is a part of their family. Prospective adoptive parents in Georgia can seek the assistance of legal professionals in the field of family law as they work through the adoption process. Regardless of the challenges that may arise, the reward is worth the wait.
Source: bangordailynews.com, “New attitudes toward adoption from foster care offer hope”, Sharon Van Epps, July 26, 2017