[NancyAshe]

It's not just for fosterees. Grants and tuition waivers have been made available in recent years to help foster children and those formerly in foster care handle college and training expenses, and in Texas, the bill that provides these services for fosterees includes free college tuition for some adoptees. According to a Texas Child Protective Services spokesperson, "If the child was adopted and they were special needs or hard to adopt, they receive free adoption tuition and fees for many state-supported Texas colleges and universities."

In Texas, contact CPS for more information, and in other states, contact the state agency that oversees foster care and adoption - CPS, DSS, DFYS, etc. , to see if a similar program is available to adoptees. Find your state agency here.

[twinigma]

I can't find any kind of tuition assistance programs for birthparents. If there aren't any, that is a true shame. We birthparents need to grow just like our children do.

Does anyone know of any resources?

Thanks,
Laura

[ckeilin2000]

Hi Nancy,

I have a 17 year old daughter who was adopted at the age of 4 - would you happen to know if children adopted internationally qualify?

Sincerely,
Cyndi Keilin
www.thekeilins.com

[NancyAshe]

Hi Cyndi,

Good question! *Usually* the understanding is that these benefits are for kids who were adopted through the U.S. Foster Care system with special considerations, such as older age, sibling group, ability challenges, etc. But since I don't know for sure, I'll ask and post the reply as soon as I have one.

All best
Nancy

[michellemartin]

[Edited To Remove Agency/Facilitator/fee based services Recommendations or comments]

Please remember that comments about agencies or other fee based services made after 2/10/2004 MUST be made via Private Message.


Yes, there should be something to help us, too.

Here's part of what I wrote to an agency trying to convince them to have a scholarship program...
When I was expecting and contemplating adoption I wanted to get my life put back together. Instead I went home without a child (yes, by choice) and expected my life to change for the better. I wanted to do something with my life. Unfortunately placing often does not improve a situation, but leaves it only where it was. I feel a sense of being stuck with no way out of my situation. That for some leads to destructive behavior and extreme resentment. I hope the future holds more promising lives for all birthmothers. A scholarship program would be a great start!

[michellemartin]

I have found two agencies that offer scholarships, one for $500 dollars until their funds are depleted and one for $1500 awarded once or twice a year depending on funds. PM me if you would like information on either of these.

[NancyAshe]

Hi Cyndi,

I spoke with the CPS supervisor in Texas and tuition assistance is available to adoptees who were adopted with subsidies in that state. Although subsidies today are not available for children adopted abroad, they have been in the past (on rare occasions). If your daughter did receive a subsidy in Texas, then she would be eligible for the tuition benefit.

Hope this helps.
All best
Nancy

[dl]

As I read the original post on this thread, it seems that the grants and tuition waivers are meant to help foster children and those formerly in foster care. It seems this is also meant to help adoptive parents that adopted "special needs or hard to adopt" which is a truly worthy cause IMO.

I'm confused about the post regarding tuition assistance for bioParents that relinquished. If there are people, whether a bioFather or bioMother that relinquished a child ~ or other people that never had a child that they were unable to parent for whatever reason ~ all of a similar economic need. Why would the fact that someone had relinquished a child entitle them to aid that would not be available to someone that had not relinquished a child? I'm confused. If the child was relinquished, why would the bioParents be entitled to any sort of aid or more aid than those that also do not have children that they are raising?

[NancyAshe]

Thanks for writing. I don't think there is an issue of "entitlement" however, many unplanned pregnancies do interrupt a woman's education, and may create additional hardships, some financial. There are several agencies that do offer some kind of tuition or training assistance to placing women, however, these are privately funded - as opposed to the public help available through the programs I initially wrote about.

Hope this helps answer your question.
All best
Nancy

[LOLAISBK]

I live in Texas and have been in contact with CPS. I currently have 3 children in my care by request of CPS. I adopted the two older children (now 2 yrs old & 1 y old) and am waiting for a determination (parental relinquishment) on the third child. If the parents relinquish, I will also adopted the baby (2 weeks old). All three children are siblings.
Since the parents have voluntarily relinquished to me, I do not get subsidy for any of the children. Also, my children do not qualify for free college tuition.
Had the parents not voluntarily relinquished to me, and the State got custody, the children would qualify for subsidy, food stamps, college tuition ...
One catch, if I had waited for the State to take custody in order to get all this assistance, I would have had to apply to adopt them.
I would much rather do it my way. Adopt the children directly from the first parents and not to have to jump through hoops strategically placed by the State of Texas.
I would say bypass the State at all costs whenever possible in adoptions.