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Adoption Questions
Can I adopt an infant or a young child through Saint Dominic’s Home?
Saint Dominic’s Home is very proud of its adoption record. However, it should be noted that all of our adoptions are a result of our efforts to attain permanency for the children placed in our foster care programs. As a result, infants and young children are not placed with our agency for the purpose of adoption. Rather, they are placed with us for the purpose of reunification with their biological families, and are seldom available for adoption through our agency. Therefore, it is recommended that parents seeking to expand their families through adoption seek to contact one of the adoption agencies listed in our links to explore adoption as an option.
What types of children are available for adoption?
The majority of children who are available for adoption and do not have an adoptive resource are over the age of 12 and/or present significant challenges to the foster families raising them. This is true for all foster care agencies, not just Saint Dominic’s Home.
Then how can I adopt a young child?
The best way to adopt a young child is to have been the foster parent for that child while the agency was working towards reunification. This requires that the foster parent be able to be emotionally prepared that the child may leave their home to be reunited with birth parents or a relative. Because there is no guarantee that a child’s plan will ultimately become adoption, we urge foster parents with this specific focus to explore alternative routes to becoming adoptive parents.
How long will the adoption take?
This depends on the individual situation of the child and adoptive family. Once a child is freed and placed in an adoptive home, an adoption can be finalized within 6 months, as long as the adoptive family is able to provide all necessary documentation. There can be barriers to the adoption process that the agency has no control over. The biggest is the time it takes to complete the legal process of freeing the child, including the possibility of an appeal by a birth parent.
Can a single person adopt?
Yes. The foster care system is open to adoption by single persons or married or unmarried couples residing together.
How much does it cost to adopt through Saint Dominic’s Home?
When a child is adopted through the foster care system, the adoptive parents are usually eligible for an adoption subsidy. This is money provided by the state to assist in raising the child until the age of 21. Most children who are eligible for adoption subsidy also qualify for all costs associated with the adoption (lawyer’s fees, cost of homestudy, etc) to be paid by the state as well, therefore, there is no cost to adopt a child through Saint Dominic’s Home. We will discuss specific information as the case develops.
What happens if I need help after the adoption?
Many of Saint Dominic's Home children are often difficult, even after they have been placed in a permanent adoptive home, because they have been victims of abuse or neglect through much of their lives. Even the most experienced adoptive parents often require ongoing support to take proper care of these children. This is particularly true as the children mature and encounter issues related to adolescence and identity. To ensure that adoptions provide our children with the security that they require, Saint Dominic's Home provides post-adoption services to its families. All adoptive families are informed of the availability of these services, which provide assistance with children's educational and emotional problems. Prior to adoption finalization, special attempts are extended to families adopting children with special needs to ensure that the families will be able to meet the needs of these children as they mature.
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Family Foster Care
Statistics
People Served:
645
Statistics 2008
(Children & Youth 0-21 years)
Children adopted:
33
Children reunited with family:
118
Children and teens
in foster care:
645
Children and teens
in therapeutic foster care:
38 |
