[Kat2]

I would like to adopt some day and have a friend who is a foster mother.

I have a question. If there are so many thousands of needy children who need homes, why does it cost so much to adopt?

My friend (the foster mom) says that it's $10,000-20,000 to adopt a child, but by fostering, she only has to pay $3000. But that $3000 doesn't take into account the huge financial (and other) commitments to the foster child/children. Additionally, even though the agency knows she wants to adopt, they have given her children that they KNOW will be returning to their birth parents, thus completely removing the chance to adopt those children YET requiring her commitment to them.

That $3000 - 20,000 could go towards YEARS of clothing, shelter, and food for a child. So why does it cost so much to adopt? I know there are legal fees, but come on, this seems like excess.

At my current rate of income ($9/hour full time) I don't know if I could ever afford to adopt, given the fact that I would have to put so much money into the process in addition to caring for a child. I could adopt if I didn't have to pay all that additional money beforehand.

[blessedbybug]

Originally Posted by Kat2

I would like to adopt some day and have a friend who is a foster mother.

I have a question. If there are so many thousands of needy children who need homes, why does it cost so much to adopt?

My friend (the foster mom) says that it's $10,000-20,000 to adopt a child, but by fostering, she only has to pay $3000. But that $3000 doesn't take into account the huge financial (and other) commitments to the foster child/children. Additionally, even though the agency knows she wants to adopt, they have given her children that they KNOW will be returning to their birth parents, thus completely removing the chance to adopt those children YET requiring her commitment to them.

That $3000 - 20,000 could go towards YEARS of clothing, shelter, and food for a child. So why does it cost so much to adopt? I know there are legal fees, but come on, this seems like excess.

At my current rate of income ($9/hour full time) I don't know if I could ever afford to adopt, given the fact that I would have to put so much money into the process in addition to caring for a child. I could adopt if I didn't have to pay all that additional money beforehand.

Where I'm from, fostering and foster-to-adopt programs cost nothing. They shouldn't. In fact, if I were to choose foster-to-adopt, many of the expenses to support the child/ren until the adoption is final (and even after, depending on special needs) are covered through government funding.

As for private adoption, my fees went towards counselling of expecting parents considering adoption, time/travel expense of agency workers to do my homestudy, counselling for me and my family before/during/after the match and court costs. I know many who pay some $$$ to support the expecting parents after the match is made. So the costs vary in that regard.