It’s important to remember the rights that birth parents have in the foster process. If you are thinking about trying to foster to adopt in California, you’ll want to know the basics of how it works so you aren’t caught off-guard at any point along the way. The point of this post is not to scare you off of the idea of fostering to adopt – it can be a great path – but you do want to be armed with information before diving in. 

Understanding How Foster-to-Adopt Works

When children enter the foster system, the initial goal is to reunite them with their biological family. Since this is the system’s focus, every effort will be made to create a situation where reunification is possible and practical. Only when those efforts have failed and it becomes clear that the concerns or risks of putting the child back with their birth parents are not viable will the child become eligible for adoption. If you are attempting to foster to adopt in California, you need to know that the adoption process is a secondary solution after reunification has failed. 

Preparing for the Process | Foster to Adopt in California

As a starting point, of course, you will need to be a foster parent in California if you are adopting this way. So, that’s where you should focus your attention at first. Then, once you are serving as a foster parent, the biggest thing you will need is patience. It can be hard to maintain your emotional stability when adoption possibilities come and go, so working closely with your agency can help you ride the rollercoaster and look forward to the day when you will be able to call one of the foster children your own. The foster to adopt in California experience can certainly be taxing and challenging, but there is no doubt that it’s worth it. 

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent, contact Children First Foster Family Agency or apply to become a resource parent. 

Children First FFA is a private, non-profit organization in Northern California that is dedicated to helping change lives by providing a safe place for children to heal in a culture of love, acceptance, and consistency.