[NorthBay04]

My husband and I are in the fost-adopt program in California. We had a sibling group for one year but they were reunited with their mother. Our county licensing social worker suggested that we do satellite (emergency) foster care in order to get a quicker referral. We have been waiting 10 months since the last referral. The few referrals we are getting from state adoptions are for infants with major medical problems and my husband and I don't feel comfortable with these major problems. Has anyone wanted to adopt and done emergency foster care and then been able to adopt that way?

[lambeausam]

Each state sets up their foster care programs differently. I know some have eergency homes that are desgined to care for children for up to 30 days, then the kids are transferred to traditional foster homes. I'm in Illinois and we don't have that type of structure. Traditional foster homes do emergency placements as well as respite care. I adopted each of my sons after they were initally placed in my home as emergency placements. In fact, most of the foster families that I know who have adopted experienced the same type of placements.

Best Wishes!

Sam

[tlc4kidz]

Our fd of 18 months started out as an emergency placement at 2 days old. We thought she would go home at 3 months, then 6 then 1 year and she is still here...now with 4 month old baby brother (also considered emergency). We have filed for her adoption, but it is being contested so we won't go to trial until next year sometime.

I guess if you could handle having a child for a year or more knowing in the end they could be reunited then it would be okay, but if your goal is adoption please know it can be VERY emotionally trying. We weren't even planning on adoption originally and there are days when I just don't think I can take it anymore. You live from one court-date to the next and things don't ever seem to move as quickly as you'd like.

Hope I haven't discouraged you too much. There are many stories out there of infants who were placed emergency, abandoned and adopted 6 months later, but by far not all cases are so cut and dry.

[MommyofEli]

I just became a foster parent and have a 7 mth old girl that was placed with us on aug 31. One by one her family members are being turned down for placement for one reason or another. She may become available...who knows. But a fellow foster parent friend of mine was placed with a little 2 week old girl( now almost two) and she is adopting her. Her mom never did what needed to be done. You never know...There are a lot babies placed and adopted through the state. And most of the time the foster parents adopt them(because they do get first choise) A lot are drug exposed but turn out to be healthy children. Yiou just never know, but you do know that while they are with you you will love them and keep them healthy and would have made a difference in their life.

[NorthBay04]

Thanks to all that responded. It's always nice to hear other people's experiences.