[bellamae]

I have a question I can't seem to find the answer to.

I am currently licensed as a foster parent through a private agency. I am also licensed as an adoptive parent through DFPS. My private agency did not do adoptions at the time my DS was adoptively placed (he was originally my foster placement), so the state licensed me so that we could complete his adoption. That's why my licenses are all weird.

I am now looking for a foster-to-adopt (legal risk) placement. My foster agency says that they can place legal risk children in my home, but I'm not sure if I believe them. (Mostly because when I called to ask, they didn't even know what legal risk was, so I don't really trust them on most things.) Does anyone know if you need a "foster-to-adopt" license in order to have a legal risk placement, or will we be okay with what we have? Our agency now does adoptions again, so when it comes time, they'll be able to license us for and complete the adoption if my DFPS license lapses (it will in a few months).

Anyone know?

[venetoulias]

No You do not have to be , It just makes it easier If you want to keep a child when they become legal Risk . Oh and I'd look in to getting your license renewed , I'm telling you it makes it easier

[bellamae]

Thanks. I guess my question is can I receive a Legal Risk child (already identified as so) now, with a foster license and a separate adoptive parent license? I know that if a child becomes legal risk while in my home, it's okay, because my agency can change my license. But they're saying they don't need to do anything now, and I can have a Legal Risk child in my home now.

I just want to be sure.

Oh, and I will renew my license. Just not through CPS - I'll do it through my agency since they'll be able to this time.

[bethy724]

Sorry off topic-
But you can have 2 lisences from 2 different agencies in TX? (CPS & private)

I'm doing respite care for a private agency that hasn't had any placements & want to "double up"

I think a child already labled "legal risk-TPR over) is only placed in a legal risk home (unless you have an in w/a social worker)

[ms_mckenna]

Our liscense is foster only. We are foster to adopt but at the time we got our liscense our agency was not liscensed to do adoptions (something we were never told even though they knew our intentions). We have had several children in our home that were considered legal risk. And a set of siblings that we signed legal risk paper work on. This was all before they were liscensed for adoptions. Now I do know that there is a sepertate placement either when or after you sign an intent to adopt and that is an "adoption placement" and at that point the agency would have to be able to do adoptions. HTH