The foster care system in California leads to many legal adoptions each year. While adoption is not the primary focus of the foster system, it is an outcome that occurs in many cases. If you are interested in foster care adoption in California, it will help to understand as much as possible about the legal side of this process. Below, we’ll talk about how adoptions are finalized and what you need to know before going on this journey. 

The Road to Finalization

It isn’t until the biological parents are no longer considered to be a viable option that a foster child will become available for adoption. Once the court has decided that reunification is out of the question, the process of terminating parental rights will be completed and a permanent home can be identified. That’s when foster care adoption in California becomes a possibility and the foster family is often the first place to look for a new home. A number of steps may be needed at this stage, including a home study, background checks, and various court hearings. Of course, plenty of paperwork will be needed along the way, as well. 

Expect to Have a Day in Court | Foster Care Adoption in California

It’s not always a good thing to have to appear in court. In the case of an adoption, however, it’s a great occasion. Finalizing your foster care adoption in California will typically include a court proceeding that officially transfers parental rights to you. This is an event that is certainly cause for great celebration and will be a moment to be remembered forever. What might have been a long and winding road will finally have reached its conclusion and you will officially be the legal parent of your child. Everything that you went through along the way will now be even more worth it than ever before. 

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.