[Kay-Ray1]

Can you request to only foster children with TPR?

[hubbyswife]

I'm pretty sure you can. You won't get as many placements /calls. We are looking for long term placements and possibly kids they know will or more than likely will go to TPR. Our placement SW knows this and we are being really picky now that we are adopting (hopefully) our FD. She's 2 and we will not take in any kids older than her.

[stevenstwin]

I think you can, but if your intention is ONLY to foster, I don't know how many you'd get. Once they terminate parental rights, the goal is usually some sort of permanency plan - adoption or private guardianship. They don't like to leave them in "foster care" when there is no hope of returning to their family of origin.

[TexasJingles]

Unless you plan to foster-to-adopt?

All of ours had TPR's when we took placement. However, their cases were under appeal and it took about 9 months for that to go through the courts. During that time, we were considered their foster parents (that was a huge pain! the kids didn't know what was going on, and we weren't allowed to talk to them about any of it!).

It's about as low risk as you can get, but there is still a risk.

Oh, and we just happen to fall into this situation. I'm not sure how many times this happens everywhere else.

[Kay-Ray1]

We are wanting to adopt. I have hear all your stories and I don't think my heart can handle loosing a child the way so many of you have. I have two bio-children so I have to be selective about the child or children we adopt. I want to make sure there isn't going to be any major problems. I just kind of a trail run to meet and learn about the child. Before making a decison that will effect everyone.
So should I foster as TPR only or do you think respite would be best?
For what I have heard respite is only weekends and I'm afraid we won't really get to know the child spending only weekends with them. Advise from the experienced please!

[swsoutherlands]

This is a hard issue, I think. I've always asked for TPR kids and the caseworkers always snicker a bit and tell me that's not possible. I think if you waited until you had a TPR kid you'd be waiting a long time. We've made it very, very clear that we only want to adopt and sometimes they use that against us by making it seem like the kids they want us to take are definately well on their way to TPR (even when they're not). It's not that they lie to us-- they don't-- they just tell us all the points that make it seem like TPR is certain. It's not until later that we realize all the other factors that could prevent TPR.

Right now we're not expecting our little foster son to be permanent. He's got a grandmother who's trying to get custody out of state and has a lawyer. The more we know about his situation the more we think TPR will happen, but not likely it will end up with us adopting him.
That's really hard on us, but we're adjusting.

Oh, one more thought. If you want lots of TPR kids-- go for the older ones. Most states have many kids who are over 6 that already are TPRed. It's the babies and toddlers who are tricky (at least in our state).

Hope that helps.