Hey Everyone, I'm new to this board and I've got a few questions so if someone could answer then it would be appreciated. My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for just about 4 years and after we came to the fact that it wasn't going happen, we tried to adopt. The international adoption process was very stressful and about 2 months into it, it fell through, after that thought we started to consider Foster Care which is where we are now. We have been blessed and we have 4 healthy daughters that are aged 9-17, they all are absolutely thrilled at the thought of having another baby around the house. Which leads me to my first question, I was wondering, could we get put off for placement because we already have 4 children? Also, can you request a 1-5 year old child that would most likely not be not be taken back by their parents? If so, would it take a great deal of time to get placed? Our house is more than big enough to allow everyone with their own room, it's across the street from the public library, we live a block from the school and I'm self employed so I was always be home. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with ADD when she was in grade school, so I know what it's like to deal with learning disabilities, but I just don't think I could take care of a Down-Syndrome baby. My children are my life and it would be wonderful to have another one.

Thanks alot for reading!

[leaabc123]

There is nothing wrong with asking for a specific age group. It is a bonus for you to know what you can and can not handle. Although, they will try and get you to accept different ages, disabilities, etc.
As long as you have the room and everyone above 18 passes their clearances, you would not get passed up. Also, they would look at your income to make sure you can support a foster child without relying on the subsidies. It all depends on the kinds of kids they need homes for on any given day. You might wait awhile longer for a single child, rather than a sibling group. Or, you could get a placement right away.

depending on where you are, there are different kinds of foster care programs. Some states have only adoption homes while others have foster to adopt. In foster to adopt, there are no guarantees. A case could look like the child is going home next week but ends up freed for adoption. A child might be in your home for 2 years and it looks like Termination of parental rights will happen but the judge gives the parents 6 more months to get their act together, or a relative pops up and asks for custody.

You might get 1 placement and get lucky and adopt or you might have 10-20 kids in and out of your home before you adopt.

We are currently on our 2nd placement, and waiting to see if he gets sent back to the relatives who abandoned him. Our first baby was sent back to her mother, even though no one stepped forward and admitted to shaking the baby. Social services suspected the father but nothing was proven, so the baby was sent back.

I don't say this to discourage you but to give you an accurate picture of what goes on. We started a year ago and are no closer to adopting a child at this time. We love the time we have had with the kids but it gets tough.

[8years&counting]

Congrats on your 4 girls! I noticed in your post, you wanted to reguest a child 1-5 that is not intended on going back to the birth parents. Well, this is what I have been told when asking that . Foster care is not adoption and should not be seen as such. Foster care is a roller coaster and the children are always intended togo back home. Even in the worst case scenario that is always the goal.

Over the past 8 years I have talked to more "Foster Care" administrators that I care to count. I have always heard the same thing. My husband and I wanted to get into foster care as well, but after 8 years of no children, we would get way too attached I think. We want a child so very badly, to have a dream come true and then possibly shattered within months of eachother, our hearts could not bare such a tramatic experiece.

Best of luck in your search!!