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| Frequently Asked Questions | |
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What does "adoption" mean to older children in foster care?
Technically, it is the legal transfer of parental rights from one set of parents to another. Those who have been adopted however tell us it is much more. Adopting an older child with special needs is not merely transferring the rights and responsibilities from one set of parents to another. It is, in fact, the creation of a "new kinship" network that forever links those two families together through the child who is shared by both. |
What does "special needs" mean?
The state defines "special needs" as those children who have, or who are at high risk of having, physical, emotional, educational, metal and/or behavioral disabilities. Those needs can make it hard for them to be adopted. It also refers to children who are siblings who need to be placed together in the same adoptive home.
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Who are "waiting kids" and where are they living now?
The children we place for adoption have been legally separated from their birth families and are under state guardianship. They are currently living in county supervised foster homes, group homes or residential treatment centers. |
How long will it take for a child to join our family?
The time varies for each family depending on how quickly the family completes the adoption education classes and application materials. The adoption study process varies with each family depending on the flexibility of the family's schedule, their social worker and the family's readiness for adoption. Once the adoption home study is complete, the match with a child or children may happen immediately or take many months. The child's county worker makes the final decision about which family is the best match for that child. The more open the family is regarding age, gender, siblings and special needs, the more potential matches are likely.
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What is an adoption home study, and why do I need one?
Every Minnesota resident wishing to adopt is required to have an adoption home study completed by a licensed child-placing agency. It is a process as well as a document. The adoption study process is an educational process designed to help your social worker get to know you, to explore how special needs adoption issues may impact your family, and to prepare you to bring a child with a past history and relationships, experiences, ideas, values and culture into your family.
It is important during these visits with your social worker that you be honest and clear about yourself and your family, including strengths and weaknesses, motivation for adoption, your parenting style, values, interests, skills and your support system. Any sensitive and personal information is treated with the utmost respect. It is from these visits and your own completed application materials that the adoption home study document is written. This document is used to introduce and represent your family to the child's social worker.
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What is the role of the social worker throughout the process? What do they do for us?
Your social worker will have many roles throughout the process. The social worker's main roles are to prepare, support and advocate for you throughout the adoption process. Your social worker will work to get to know your family well during the adoption study process and make a match with a child or children who are a good "fit" with your family. The worker will bear primary responsibility for coordinating the gathering of information on your potential child(ren), facilitating the placement process, and providing and linking you to support and resources after the adoption. Your worker will also assist you through the finalization process. Your worker will be available to you, as will the entire staff of the Program for Minnesota's Waiting Children and the Post Adoption Program. |
How much does adoption cost?
CHSFS has a contract with the state of Minnesota through the Public Private Adoption Initiative to provide adoption services to those adopting Minnesota's waiting children. This allows us to provide adoption education and home study services, as well as adoption support services at no expense to you.
Once your adoption has been finalized, families who have adopted children with special needs are eligible to receive Adoption Assistance from the state of Minnesota. This assistance is based on the child's needs and not your income. Adoption Assistance is not considered taxable income. This assistance provides a monthly stipend based on the child's age and their special needs, as well as additional financial resources to meet the child's needs, and medical assistance to back up the family's own health insurance. |
Who can adopt waiting children?
All kinds of parents and families are needed for all kinds of kids. Potential adoptive parents are couples, singles, gay and lesbian families, and parents with or without parenting experience. Parents must be 25 or older, can have limited income and may or may not own their own home. Couples must demonstrate at least two years of stability in their marriage or relationship. Parents must be able to provide a stable life for their child and be willing to love the child and commit to them knowing there are likely to be extra challenges ahead. |
How do I know if I "have what it takes" to be an adoptive parent for children with special needs?
Adoptive parents have told us that the following characteristics are important for a positive adoption experience:
- realistic expectations about children with special needs;
- openness and willingness to continue learning about parenting children with special needs;
- openness to using community resources;
- a strong support system and willingness to use it;
- flexibility, daily structure and consistency, creativity, humor;
- a strong couple relationship, if co-parenting;
- a healthy sense of self, boundaries, ability to empathize, ability to not take things personally;
- a steadfast commitment to the adopted child.
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How do we choose an agency?
It is important to feel comfortable with the agency you choose: the services, the philosophy, the staff, even their style and values. Most agencies have informational meetings. Be sure to ask a lot of questions and investigate the adoption support resources offered to you before, during and after placement of a child or children into your family. We believe that CHSFS's full continuum of services and experience in older child adoptions will make us your choice. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to call or e-mail us at 651-646-6393 or mnchild@chsfs.org.
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Can I be considered as a parent for a child of a race or culture other than my own?
Yes. You will be asked to consider your own family's culture and environment and assess whether it will be a supportive and enriching environment for the child who will be placed in your home. |
What about adoption via foster parenting?
Becoming a foster parent is an excellent way to prepare yourself to parent children with special needs. It allows you to get to know the children placed in your home, continue to expand your parenting skills and potentially go on to adopt them. It is also beneficial for children to stay in a familiar home where they have formed attachments. The majority of families adopting waiting children are foster families. Of course, being a foster family isn't for everyone. If you have interest in being a foster family, contact your county of residence. |
What is concurrent planning?
Concurrent planning is an innovative foster care case management tool to pursue the primary goal of family reunification, while at the same time developing an alternative permanency plan for the child. This alternate plan will often include adoption as the major alternative to family reunification. If family reunification efforts fail, then the alternate plan will already be in place and well on its way to completion. Concurrent planning is intended to reduce the total period of time a child will remain in foster care before being permanently placed with a family. |
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©2006 Children's Home Society & Family Services |
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