Foster Adoption
Foster Care Adoption Services
Children placed in foster care are coming from a crisis situation and a situation in which the birth parents are not choosing where the child will be placed. This differs from a guardianship where the biological parent keeps legal parental rights and can choose the family member the child will go to. In these foster cases the child has been removed by the government from the biological parents’ home for reasons that include abuse, neglect by a parent or even the death of a parent. Some of the children in the foster care system have unfortunately never experienced a stable, loving and secure family life or home in their lives. The children have also oftentimes experienced abuse themselves, have gone through a traumatic experience, or have had a lot of instability in their lives such as moving from home to home, experiencing homelessness, or even suffering from malnutrition due to inconsistent meals. It is crucial for these children in particular to be placed in a stable home that can provide them with stability they may not have had previously. If you are a foster parent or considering fostering a child with the intent to adopt, this is truly a calling to love a child and allow them the opportunity to grow up in an emotionally and physically safe environment.
The relationship that the child will have with the biological parent(s) also differs case by case. If the parent is incarcerated or going through a rehabilitation program, visitation might be limited and will be supervised. Other biological parents will remain in contact via phone calls or video calls. Maintaining constant communication with the biological parent(s) is a situation that must be navigated with great wisdom and discernment. Having the proper support is vital to be able to support the child’s stability during this difficult transition, particularly when the temporary placement is in route to becoming a permanent adoption. Cases such as these can be very complex, especially when the government deems that reunification of the child with the biological parent(s) is not in the best interest of the child and the option to adopt becomes available to you as a foster parent. These cases and more are cases that we, at Adoption Law Firm Anaheim California servicing all of California, specialize in and would be honored to help you navigate.
At FAMILYBUILDING™, we provide foster care parents with guidance related to foster care adoption, special needs foster children and dealing with Child Protective Services. The adoption attorneys at Adoption Law Firm Anaheim California servicing all of California have helped a significant number of foster families in the adoption process of their foster children into loving and stable homes. This also results in the foster family having a permanent and lasting effect on the child’s life and the child becoming an official member of their family to solidify the bond that was already created during the fostering process.
The principal attorney at Adoption Law Firm Anaheim California servicing all of California, Lawyer Ted R. Youmans and his wife, Sheryl Youmans at FAMILYBUILDING™, did not actually set out to become foster parents originally. They already had their own children when a close relative sadly died suddenly leaving a child exposed to the foster care system. This was the first foster care-type relationship that the Youmans experienced, and a confirmation of a lifelong commitment to helping children in need of a stable, loving home through foster care, fost-adopt programs and through private adoption as well.
Fost-Adopt Plans
Foster Parents may go into foster care as a “concurrent planning” home so they would adopt that child if the birth parent’s rights are terminated. Attorney Ted Youmans at Adoption Law Firm Anaheim California servicing all of California has more than 22 years of experience in guiding foster parents through the legal process of adopting a foster child.
Foster Parent Adoption is virtually a no-cost way to adopt! Aid for Adoptive Parents in the form of Adoption Assistance is also provided allowing adoptive parents to continue to receive benefits until the child reaches 18 years of age. This is vital information that many people do not know about. Without this knowledge, many are deterred from fostering and adopting. Lack of information is not something that will hold you back as our attorneys will be able to educate you on all of the resources you stand to benefit from such as the Adoption Tax Credits and so much more. The foster-adoption plans are available to you and are something you can benefit from if you are someone who entered this realm with the home to effect lasting change in the life of a child who has had a difficult start in life. The contribution to this child’s life can be even greater by deciding to solidify the family through the process of adopting a child you are already fostering. This also prevents this child from continuing to have instability in their lives and secures a safe and loving home for this child to continue to grow and thrive in.
Long Term Foster Care or Guardianship
Sometimes, the best solution for a foster child is not adoption, but long term foster care or guardianship. Foster parents may need the support of state services or choose not to adopt for other reasons. An experienced and ethical attorney at Adoption Law Firm Anaheim California servicing all of California can help you determine what the best course of action is for your unique situation and provide you the resources you’ll need to make an informed decision.
A child entering foster care can be an extremely scary experience and a daunting endeavor, especially with so many uncertainties and lack of security. You can make your home become their final stop in foster care and the beginning of a new life and trajectory for that child. Acquiring the services of Adoption Law Firm Anaheim California servicing all of California is very simple. You can complete a Foster Adoption Intake form to begin your journey. After an initial consultation with you, we can collaboratively come up with a feasible plan to provide a child with a better future.