[hopefully2010]

Hi! I'm new. My husband and I are planning to adopt a child preferably between 3-5 yrs old from foster care. We just starting learning and working on our Home Study. There isn't a PRIDE class scheduled for my area yet so I got tons of books to kind of start learning about what to expect. My hubby isn't much of a reader. Does anyone have suggestions about videos?

Does it take a long time to adopt a legally free child or is it better to foster first?

[Withay]

Welcome to the forums. You will find many people with so much to offer in the way of advice and support.

No suggestions for videos, but you might go to the ID Foster Care website and they might have a list.

As to which is faster, straight adopt of a legally free child or foster/adopt it really depends on what type of issues you are willing to accept in your future child. The majority of foster children will have at least one issue such as drug/alcohol exposure, RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder), medical issues, developmental delays, just to name a few. There is a wide range of degree of all of these issues. Some children present with comparatively mild issues while others are more severe.

Many times the foster family will be given first consideration for adopting a child. You might, once you have completed your PRIDE classes and have a current homestudy request to see the book of listings of legally free children in ID. Most states request that you look within your own state for a year (sometimes longer or shorter) before looking out of state.

Good luck.

[hopefully2010]

Thank you!