Foster Care vs. Adoption: Explore the Differences
The latest information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services AFCARS report states that in 2021, there were nearly 400,000 children in foster care. The case plan goal for 28% of those children was to find a permanent family through adoption.
53% of youth in foster care have a goal to reunite with their biological families. The remaining goal categories include living with a relative, long-term foster care, and emancipation.
Both foster families and adoptive families help foster children who need a stable, caring home. But what is the difference between fostering and adopting? People sometimes confuse the two and often do not realize the connection between foster care vs. adoption.
It helps to understand the distinction and intersection between foster care and adoption in the United States child welfare system. Learning about both processes will help you decide which path is right for you and your family members.
Begin by understanding the definitions of foster care and adoption, then take a closer look at each. A child welfare agency or a child-placing agency in your state can answer all of your questions or direct you to more information.
How Does Foster Care Work?
Foster care is state-provided temporary living for children of all ages whose parents cannot care for them. Kids in the foster care system have come to the attention of a child welfare agency for various reasons. Child abuse, neglect, poverty, or the absence of a parent or caregiver can cause unsafe living conditions for children.
While in foster care, children are in the custody of the state. Ideally, they may live with relatives or in another home setting with a foster family. If these options aren't available, authorities may place foster kids in a communal living facility, like a group home.
The main goal is to reunite foster kids with a biological parent or primary caregiver. About half of kids who enter the foster care system will eventually return to their families.
By definition, foster care is a short-term, temporary solution. The foster care system is complex and involves federal, state, and local organizations. Each state's Department of Social Services handles legal regulations around placing, caring for, and returning foster children. Their partners in care, child-placing agencies (CPA), manage all aspects of day-to-day foster services and support for kids in foster care.
Birth parents do not get a choice about where their children will end up once they are in the foster care system. When a child is under state care, a judge is responsible for deciding what is most beneficial for the child. The judge will collaborate with the parents to devise a strategy to safely return their children home. The child-placing agency helps find care for the child during this time.
A surprising technical topic in foster care is guardianship. While a child is in foster care, their legal guardian usually retains parental rights. The court terminates parental rights if a child becomes eligible for adoption.
The Foster Care Process
Children across a spectrum of ages, from newborns through young adults in their early 20s, can enter the foster care system. Kids may enter foster care if they experience neglect, poverty, or abuse. They may have parents struggling with addiction or severe mental health issues. Some children also experience the loss of a parent or guardian due to death or incarceration.
In every foster child case, authorities remove children from their homes when they deem living conditions to be unsafe. A foster child's care is inherently short-term. They may stay in a foster home for a few months or for over a year. When birth parents act to meet court requirements, their children may leave foster care and return to their birth home.
About half of foster kids will reunite with biological parents or primary caregivers. Those who cannot return home remain with foster care parents. Eventually, someone will either adopt these foster children, or they will age out of the foster care system. Kids who age out are legal adults and no longer qualify for the state's support resources.
Foster parents receive some financial support to help with the expenses of caring for a foster child. This typically helps offset essential costs for food, clothing, and housing.
To become a foster parent, you must meet specific criteria in your state. Potential foster parents must show that they can provide a secure and stable home. They must also demonstrate financial stability. Additionally, they need to have the time, energy, and good health to care for a child.
Adults must attend training sessions and clear a criminal background check as part of the foster parent licensing process. They must participate in the Home Study and in-person interviews. The Home Study determines if you are fit and prepared to foster a child. It also ensures a good match between your family situation and those of a foster child in need.
How Does Adoption Work?
Adoption entails raising someone else's biological child as your own. Legal adoptions involve transferring all rights and responsibilities to the adoptive family. At times, foster children become eligible for adoption. These situations include when it is unsafe for them to return home or when their parents lose all parental rights.
Your adoption agency is a key partner in the adoption process. They will guide you through each step and help you complete the paperwork and requirements through the Department of Social Services.
Foster parents receive financial support to offset essential childcare costs. However, an adoptive parent becomes a legal guardian and assumes full responsibility for all costs of raising a child.
The goal of foster care and adoption is to find a loving and stable home for the child. Sometimes, a guardian who still has parental rights can help choose the family that will adopt their child.
Remember that while some children long for a forever family, others may not desire adoption. Foster children have rights, and among them are respecting their wishes about adoption.
If you hope to adopt a child, you have many options available to you through the foster care system. The industry calls this foster-to-adopt. Some adults come into the process knowing they want to adopt a child. Adoption agencies work with prospective parents to forgo the fostering process in favor of direct adoption.
From Fostering to Adoption
Nearly 54,000 children await adoption. Kids who are "up for adoption" have had a court terminate the parental rights of their biological parents. Foster and adoption agencies assist adoptive families and eligible kids to make the best match.
Foster-to-adopt can be slightly different from direct adoption. Both involve legal paperwork and meeting requirements to adopt, including the Home Study. Some states mandate that foster children must wait a specified number of months before someone can adopt them. Most states will approach foster families about adoption when children in their care become eligible.
As an adoptive parent, you will have meetings with prospective children, and may also live with the child before deciding. This allows you and your child to bond and allows both you and your child to be sure you make a good match.
Foster Care vs. Adoption: Which Is Right for You?
Whether you choose to foster or adopt, you can make a profound difference in the lives of children. As you weigh your options, consider each choice's impact and commitment and how it aligns with your and your family's goals.
When choosing which is best for you, talk with a child-placing agency. A foster and adoption specialist will be able to answer all your questions and guide your next steps.
