[karla-k]

Hello, we are in Midland. I am wanting to get info on foster/adopt possibilities for healthy infants. We would be open to any race and some drug exposures. We would not be open to severe special or medical needs as we have a special needs daughter now.

What is the system like in Texas? Do we have to agree to foster in order to be eligible for foster/adopt with low legal risk?

[CaddoRose]

In Texas you can choose to either straight adopt or be a foster to adopt parent. The difference is that if you are a foster family and an infant is placed with you that come open for adoption, then you given the chance to adopt first. If you want to take infants that are legally free or low legal risk, you would probably have to wait longer for a placement because you are waiting for either a mom to relinquish at birth or find a circumstance were the probability is that no family would be interested.

Everyone will probably tell you that you will wait a long time for an infant. This is because infants are more likely to be taken in by bio family, there is a higher number of people who want that age and infants that have siblings in care are usually placed with the sibs.

If you haven't yet, I would recommend talking to CPS or going to an informational meeting with them. They would be able to give you info on your area. I will warn you that CPS and private agencies will probably tell you that they don't get infants. This is because there is a great need for people to foster wider age groups and since they are spending their money to license you, they need to have families willing to take something more that infants. Most people will widen thier age range to something like 0-3 or 0-5, but that depends on what ages you feel you can handle. You should also find the private agencies in your area too.