Adoption from Foster Care | As you start to consider becoming a resource parent, you may wonder about the possibility of adoption from foster care. Is it possible to adopt a child that you have been fostering, or are there rules in place that prevent that from being an option? Let’s take a look at this topic in this quick blog post. 

Reunification Is the Initial Goal – Adoption is Considered Only When Reunification Is Not Possible

The first thing that needs to be said here is that adoption from foster care is not the goal of the program. The goal of the fostering system is reunification whenever possible. Reuniting a child with their parents is the objective of the system, and every attempt will be made to make that happen. With that said, it is not possible in some cases for a child to be reunited with his or her natural parents, so adoption from foster care may become an option at some point along the way. 

What Is the Likelihood of Adoption from Foster Care?

In general, roughly half of foster children can eventually be reunited with their birth families. For the other half, once the possibility of reunification has been ruled out, adoption will become the secondary goal. In total, 37% of adoptions happen through the foster system, making this a relatively common way for a child to be connected to loving parents. Most people who become resource parents do so because they simply want to help children who are in need. However, at some point, when the situation is right, many of those parents wind up considering adoption to welcome that child into their family permanently. 

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.