When a child in care can’t be reunited with their parents, fostering to adopt is an incredible way to provide a forever home. Here’s how it works in Ohio!
No matter the state, the ultimate goal of foster care is to reunite children in care with their biological parents.
Although this ends up being the case for many children in Ohio, it’s not perfect — there are still around 3,000 children in care waiting to be adopted by a loving family!
In these cases, adopting from foster care as a foster parent is an incredible way to provide a nurturing forever home for children in need.
You likely have some questions, though: How does it work? Why adopt from foster care?
Let’s discuss why adopting from foster care in Ohio is one of the best ways to adopt a child if you’re interested in fostering or adoption — and how you can get started.
Adoption is a big choice to make — adoptive parents will look at many different factors when making their decision.
For many foster parents who ultimately want to adopt, fostering a child first is one way to see how a child in care may feel about the type of family they want to have. For many families who would like to adopt a child, it’s also a financially accessible way to grow your family when traditional adoption paths are out of the picture.
Adopting a child from foster care in Ohio is a choice that can really make a difference and is something many families can do — let’s look at the benefits.
Adopting a child can be prohibitive when it comes to costs.
Adopting a child from foster care can be a great choice for families who worry about the high costs of adoption.
It's good to know that growing your family by adopting doesn't have to come out of funds that could be set aside for college, activities and athletics, and making family memories together.
Many kids in care have experienced trauma and have lived with instability and uncertainty for most of their lives.
Constantly having to change homes and rebuild their bonds of trust is exhausting for kids in care. When you choose to foster first and then adopt or adopt directly from foster care, you are helping to break this cycle and create connections that last.
When you adopt a child from foster care in Ohio, the process concludes with legally making your family official.
Adopting a child from foster care does more than transform a child's life: it also strengthens your community.
Adopting from foster care in Ohio can take on a few different forms:
You can work with the Ohio Foster, Adoption, & Kinship Care website to get the process started and to find an organization to become licensed with. For the fastest results, Mentor Foster Care, a part of the Sevita family, can help you streamline the process and guide you through next steps!
The next step for adoptive parents in Ohio is to fill out an application with the organization they've chosen. This application asks about the family's history, how they live, and why they want to adopt.
After submitting the application, a home study is conducted. This is to make sure that the home environment is safe and the right fit for a child.
This step is necessary for all families looking to adopt, regardless of whether they are already foster parents.
The home study involves several parts:
Even though this might seem like a lot of information, each step is crucial for ensuring that the child is placed in a loving and suitable home.
For those who are already foster parents, some of these steps might be familiar, which can be an advantage as you're already acquainted with the process!
Every state in the US has different programs for both foster parents and adoptive parents to complete known as preservice sessions. The amount of hours may vary depending on the type of fostering you choose.
In Ohio, you can find the preservice sessions on the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program website. The sessions total out to 24 hours, and they’re split into:
This is a step for those who are choosing to jump straight into adoption without fostering first.
The last step in the adoption process is its legalization. This involves going through a court procedure that gives the adoptive parents all the legal rights of a parent.
The first part of your foster to adopt journey in Ohio is becoming a foster parent.
Here's the thing: You're not alone.
Get the support you need every step of the way with The Beginners Guide to Foster Care in Ohio. You’ll get an understanding of foster care basics, actionable tips to connect with children in care, and much more.
You can also get in touch with a Mentor Foster Care location near you for more information:
Get your free guide today!
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