Serving as a foster parent in your community is a great way to help young people in need. Whether or not you have interest in adoption, there is much to be gained and many memories to be made by acting as a resource parent. Of course, some get into this program with the hopes of growing their family. If you plan to foster to adopt in Tehama County, there are a few things you should know before getting started. Foster care can indeed be a great way to add a permanent member to your family, but that’s not always how it works.

A Short-Term Solution

Initially, the focus of foster care is to get children who are at-risk into a safe, supportive environment while their family issues are worked out. The main goal of foster care is reunification with the child’s biological family. Whenever possible, that is the outcome that will be targeted. Unfortunately, that is not always going to be possible, for a variety of reasons. If a child cannot be reunited with his or her biological family, that child may then become available for adoption. If you foster to adopt in Tehama County, you need to know that it is only when reunification has failed that adoption will become a consideration.

Patience is a Virtue

If you have the goal of foster to adopt in Tehama County on your mind, it’s important to remember that you’ll need to have plenty of patience along the way. There is simply no way of knowing when a child will become available for adoption. While it’s possible that it could happen quickly after you become a foster parent, that outcome is far from guaranteed. This is why it’s so important to think about being a resource parent first and foremost from the perspective of helping young people in need. If an adoption happens as a result of your service, that will be an exciting – and life-changing – bonus.

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.