[makarios79]

Originally Posted by Sleeplvr

Success in adopting from the foster care system varies because each state and then each town or county seems to have their own quirks. You have to take into account the agenda of the agency, the reason why the kids go into care and whether you get a good caseworker or not. In other words you might be successful or you might not.

I completely agree with this statement.

I live in a very pro-adoption area. We hold the record for the state for foster adoptions this year, but in other counties many people seem to have more difficulties than I have faced.

Don't get me wrong foster-adoption is a roller coaster and somethings are utterly frustrating. But overall, I had a pretty good experience.

I adopted 2 biracial boys 8 months after being licensed to be a foster parent...7 months after placement....My kids were 1 and 3 at adoption..1 & 2 at placement...

I had the opportunity to adopt 3 other AA kids one of which I was placed with at 6 months. He became available for adoption only 9 months after placement...

I also had the opportunity to adopt his 2 & 3 y/o siblings......I declined the latter 3 because I couldn't afford all the daycare fees.

I also had the opportunity to do a straight adoption of an 11 y/o girl. I declined for a number of reasons...

I know many people who have foster/adopted newborns straight from the hospital with no health problems....the parents had open case plans that they were not working.....This is how my youngest adopted son came into care....He was a 100% healthy 9lb baby boy who was in foster care from birth just because mom had 3 other open case plans she was not working....

My other fs came into care as a healthy infant at 2 months and was later adopted by another family....

I have been offered numerous infants who later became available for adoption. While I was in the couthouse on my boys adoption day, the lead agency adoption workers were asking me if I was interested in adopting several other children who were infants/toddlers at the time.....

Out of the six kids who I have fostered..unfortunately only 1 got reunified, all the others were placed for adoption with me and another family.

Foster care adoption isn't necessarily all that much harder than domestic adoption IMO...Both have their advantages and disadvantages. You just have to decide which one works best for your family.