[Net933]

Hi everyone,

I would like to know everyone's experience on adopting an african american or bi racial infant through foster care. Can you please share with me how soon after you were licensed that you had an infant placed and was your baby healthy or were some drug exposed or drug addicted. I'm trying to get a timeframe on maybe how soon I can expect a healthy african american or bi racial infant after I complete my license. They did say in class they are in need of families for African American infants, that really got me excited. I have read that some people said that they have been place pretty quickly. I am very excited. I look forward to hearing from everyone.

Thanks,
Net

[msheartofgold]

Well you know what they say not all states are the same, we got license 10/2003 did not get our first placement until 2/2004 it all takes time. And yes it is said to be a lot of African American child in need of a home/family, but there are tons of children of many eithnic history in need of a home/family for that matter. If you don't mind me asking is there any particular reason the child has to be african american or bi racial.

[Net933]

Thanks for your response. That's true about different states. I think 4 months for your placement was pretty quick. I'm open to any race. I am bi-racial(Korean/African American). So actually I'm interested in African American or any racial mixture, the baby doesn't have to be just caucasian/African American. I would like to have a child that is a minority though. The Social Worker did say there are not really many healthy caucasian infants available. I was impressed by God to go this route because I could get a minority child quicker. i'm just praying that I would be able to keep the child. I know it's a high risk, but I'm willing to take it. I've had my homestudy approved by a private adoption agency and have been waiting 10 months since my homestudy was approved. I'm single and I think that works against me with birthparents choosing. With the county I know I will matched by the worker. I'm excited to start this new route.

Net

[Sleeplvr]

My husband and I are AA and finished our classes in July 2004. We had our first placement identified during class. He moved in with us at the end of July. He was 18 months old at the time and was being moved to us for adoption. His caseplan was changed back to reunification in August and he should be leaving us next week. He was drug exposed and ended up in care because of it. Our second placement arrived in November. A four week old baby girl that was drug exposed. Both of the children are biracial. We live in a prodominently caucasian area and the placements tend to be caucasian, biracial (CC/AA or CC/Hispanic) or hispanic. We requested ages 0-5, any race or mixture except full CC. We interested in adoption not fostering and in order to get a young child we had to do foster to adopt. The emotional rollercoaster will be the hardest thing. You will have to take things day by day.

[Net933]

Wow, I can just imagine the emotional rollercoaster. I deceided to switch to foster to adopt also because it makes my chances greater for an infant and more quickly. I'm just praying that I can adopt my first child that is placed. I hope everything works out with your little girl. Drug exposed means they are still healthy right? What risk do they have later in life? Do you know. Or will everything be ok?

[Sleeplvr]

The 2 year old had major Heroin exposure and went through months of withdrawal. Fortunately for us, he went through it at another foster home. I don't think we could handle that level of exposure. He had occupational therapy for about a year when he first went into care. He is meeting all his milestones except in the area of speech. He does have a significant speech and expressive language delay. He understands everything you tell him and will do what he is asked. He's just unable to articulate very much. He's currently in speech therapy and is making good progress. He may not always be able to say the word for what he wants or needs but he will get his point across. He is a very happy little boy and is the life of the daycare. The little girl will be 3 months old next week. She tested positive for 4 different drugs at birth and went through about 2 weeks of withdrawal. She does have the high muscle tone that most drug exposed babies have. She will be having an early intervention evaluation and possibly start some physical or occupational therapy.
You normally don't find out the long term effects until they reach school age. But otherwise we have two very healthy children in our home.
I'm just hoping we will be able to at least keep the little girl. The father seems to be eager to get her but he doesn't have a caseplan because it was exposure at birth and he has not been recognized as the legal father. The mother's family has refused to take the baby. The father's family can't because when a child is illegitimate they are not recognized as family.

[Bellemom]

Hi and congrats on choosing to adopt through foster care! We are finalizing the adoption of African American twins this month! They are 18 months old and we actually got them as a temporary placement over a year ago. It's so hard to tell where a case may be going. We had two previous AA infants that went to relatives after five months and we had been asked to adopt. It's such a roller coaster, but so worth it! We had a placement the day we were licensed. I know in the Seattle area they are desperate for African American foster and adoptive homes! Just move up here! Our case worker was just asking us after court yesterday if we knew any AA people willing to go through all of this! Seattle has an entire African American Unit designed to keep kids within their community and close to their heritage. It couldn't hurt to contact them as I have heard of them looking at homes in other states. I know they are short homes right now as we are full, but placement is still calling! Good luck!

I wanted to add that the twins were drug exposed, but no issues yet! Our previous babies were not.

[msheartofgold]

I guess the rollercoaster effect is the worst of all because you just don't know what to expect sometimes. We have a bi-racial child AA/Dominican, when we got a fd we were told that she must go to a pre-adoptive home so we quickly said yes. We got her when she was 2 days old, no bonding with bp at, she was also drug exposed both parent to top it all off. No withdrawls at all, but from the time she came home she was very strong for such a little child, she started standing and locking her legs, she has a temper for a 9 month old since birth. She scratch herself all the time when she gets mad, pulls her hair and throws herself too. We talk this over with Dr. he said "oh it just she's demanding" I dont know if this my be a long term effect but i pray that it doesn't. Despite the mental illness of mom and dad, mom has bi-polar and dad sorry to say he is just flat out crazy. But what all this poor angel has been through she is stand strong and developing well.
Good Luck Guys

[jolean12]

We are a caucasion couple but we did not care about the ethnicity of any foster children that came into our home. Our first placement came before we had even received our license. It was an AA 1 day old baby girl who had tested positive for crack/cocaine. She had a lot of respiratory issues the 1st year (we almost lost her once), she was on a heart monitor and feeding tube for 4 months. This all occurred after she came home, she was released showing no signs. She is now 2 1/2 and still has some respiratory problems, Asthma-not severe, and easily get colds, ect. but other than that she is doing wonderful....right on track developmentally. We finally were granted TPR on Oct 27, 2004 so we are now in the process of getting her adoption finalized.

We are also called on a regular basis for infants coming into care.