[ArmyWife55]

is it generally looked down upon for people to become foster parents with the intent to eventually adopt one of the children they foster?

we are a military family and i heard a rumor that with the military they prefer you to be a foster parent before you adopt... this is why im asking.

im excited with the idea of fostering, but my husband is afraid that we will fall in love with a child just to have them leave us. is there any way for us to become foster parents only to children who could potentially be adopted?

thanks for your help.. its greatly appreciated!

[riley6]

The first goal is always return home. You can tell the DCFS or agency that YOUR goal is adoption (we did), but there's no guarantee that any child will become available for adoption. We had 11 children placed with us before the four that we had and adopted. We've been fostering 6 yrs and have had our children for three of them.

It's heartwrenching to return kids to their families, but that's part of fc. I always try to focus that I made a difference for that child for the time I had them. Bc of being with us, they had the experience of a loving, safe family.

Understand that your heart will be broken a few times before your forever child is placed with you. For ME, in the end it was worth it. I'm very grateful that I have the children I have now. I would do it again, but am VERY glad that I don't have to!

I'll answer your other post here too. You are not too young, and being military is fine!

[laraine]

We have applied to foster with dss sc with the hopes to adopt. Therefore, we hope to get a child whose parents have alread relinquished rights. But we optioned for all options. The best thing to do, is call your state dss adoption agency and talk to someone about it. They are great in Charleston. You can ask for a packet and review it at home. As you go through the homestudy which is answering a whole lot of questions things will become clearer for you and your husband. The calling to adopt a foster child is to help a child in need which sounds like where you are coming from. Good luck, Laraine