[bunfamily]

We are from the Clermont area and are in a MAPP class and only have three more to go. We are looking to Foster ages 0 to 2 years old in hopes to someday adopt. We have 2 bio children and can no longer have any more. I have been reading all morning and am seeing that this age group is very hard to come by. Does anyone know if this is true? Also, does anyone know anything about special needs children? We have considered that as an option as well.

[Anigel]

My agency told us upfront that there were no babies avail. to adopt, that they could only be come by as fost/adopt. In fact they told us nothing under 5, but that may just be the people that I'm working with. I know a woman on the forum, whose name I can't remember, she fosters babies, and has had lots of placements, incl. her son whom she adopted after having him for over a year I think. Mckenna maybe? You could send her a private message I'm sure.

Have you talked to the people you're working with currently? I'm sure they wouldn't have let you go through the program if they didn't have your age group avail. or at least warned you. I wouldn't be to discouraged, your agency, or DCF office (is that who you're going through?) should be able to tell you what sort of time frame you will have for the younger ones.

FYI We're in the Tampa Bay Area.

Ani~

[bunfamily]

Thank you for your note. We are working with what used to be Foster America. They basically said that the ages available start at 5 yrs old. They also said that there was a great need in this area, so I keep hope.

[ljw]

Hi,
We currently are working with DCF in Seminole County. We have a 13 mo. old little girl that is in our home as a preadoptive placement. When we took MAPP for adoption (with Orange County) we were also told "we have no babies" We were told whatever babies they do get if they don't go back to there parents are adopted by the foster parents. We however were extremely lucky that our little girls foster mom was not renewing her license and didn't want to adopt. I think it is possible for you to adopt babies if you are a foster parent but a good portion of the babies go back to the parents. Good luck.

[mykidsmom9401]

My experience and others I've known who have also fostered/foster to adopted indicate children USUALLY available for straight adoption are older. There are always exceptions to other rules. I think the folks guiding you just don't want you to get your expectations too high. We didnt wait very long (maybe a month or so before the phone started ringing).
My husband and I have a bio child (9 yrs old). We knew we wanted just one more child. We wanted a child in the 2 to 5 year range to adopt. We really wanted just a straight out adoption. To improve the odds of finding a good match for our family, we decided to also consider foster to adopt (with a child that would have an extremely good chance of becoming available for adoption).

The first child we were asked to consider to foster was a 1 and 1/2 yr old (go figure!) the next was a 4 yr old and the 3rd (and one that was placed in our home) was 23 mo.

The child we've had for a little over a year now, has 3 siblings in other foster homes- but they are all significantly older. At first we had never considered such an arrangement but all the other factors seemed like a good fit for our family so we went for it and would do it all over again if we had a second chance.

Especially at first, it was a real emotional roller coaster ride not knowing if this child would be going back (or even put in a different home or placed with a relative). As the odds of these things have diminished, its gotten easier and we've discovered more patience than we ever knew we had. We will be so happy when the day rolls around when we will get to adopt him and completely remove all doubt of where he will be calling home.

Our child struck me as very smart right away. He has some issues and is getting speech/physical/occupational therapy in our home (all paid for through the government), I expect he'll be fully up to speed by the time he enters kindergarten.

Stick to your guns but keep your options open on what child you will allow to be placed in your home and let God give you guidance.

Best of luck in your journey.

[bunfamily]

Thank you so much for your note! We are going to Foster for a while, in order to find that match for this family. We realize that our chances are so much better to Foster first. I'm so excited about what's ahead. I do know it won't be easy at first. I was a pre- school teacher for years. I hope what I experienced there will help deal with this situation.