Foster Brother

SamSpade

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
My son has been asking lately if he will have a brother. My wife and I have often discussed the idea of foster children when they get a little older.

I have two questions -

1. Has your experience with the fostering program been good for you? As in, does the state of Maryland do their job well?

and

2. Is there often - or rarely - a path to adoption? I'm good either way really, as I will have a full house but I'm just curious if it happens much.
 
S

Serenity40

New Member
You can choose to only foster children whose parents have relinquished all rights to them. They give you options now. It is a very noble thing to do, to even consider. I plan on enrolling in the foster care training program for 2012. I wasn't able to get in this Fall because they had custodial family members who needed to get certified first.
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
SamSpade said:
My son has been asking lately if he will have a brother. My wife and I have often discussed the idea of foster children when they get a little older.

I have two questions -

1. Has your experience with the fostering program been good for you? As in, does the state of Maryland do their job well?

and

2. Is there often - or rarely - a path to adoption? I'm good either way really, as I will have a full house but I'm just curious if it happens much.
Click to expand...

You and your wife have such big hearts :huggy:
 
SoMDGirl42

SoMDGirl42

Well-Known Member
One of my best friends is the President of the Maryland Foster Parent Association. If you would like, you can PM me your info, or I could PM you her info and she can answer all of your questions.

and yes, she has adopted from foster parenting and I know of at least 7 others that have adopted from foster parenting in St. Mary's alone.
 
M

molly_21

Member
Serenity40 said:
You can choose to only foster children whose parents have relinquished all rights to them. They give you options now. It is a very noble thing to do, to even consider. I plan on enrolling in the foster care training program for 2012. I wasn't able to get in this Fall because they had custodial family members who needed to get certified first.
Click to expand...

Not true. Fostering is for children who are in danger or for some other reason for their own safety placed in foster care. You can adopt foster children once the parent had given up rights to the child or if they were involuntary (proven abuse or neglect, etc).
 
SamSpade

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
SoMDGirl42 said:
One of my best friends is the President of the Maryland Foster Parent Association. If you would like, you can PM me your info, or I could PM you her info and she can answer all of your questions.

and yes, she has adopted from foster parenting and I know of at least 7 others that have adopted from foster parenting in St. Mary's alone.
Click to expand...

It's still a very long way off - we were thinking about fostering in several years when our kids are both in grade school, because we'd probably foster a school age child.

I was just curious if people had had a good experience with it, and with the state. I had foster brothers growing up and thanks to Facebook, I found one of them.
 
FromTexas

FromTexas

This Space for Rent
I always wanted a banana's foster brother. I could light him on fire and then eat him.









Sorry, Sam... couldn't help it. Back to the regular scheduled programming.
 
F

foxxynhounds

Member
molly_21 said:
Not true. Fostering is for children who are in danger or for some other reason for their own safety placed in foster care. You can adopt foster children once the parent had given up rights to the child or if they were involuntary (proven abuse or neglect, etc).
Click to expand...

Someone said that you can only foster children who are being removed from their families NOW and may be given the opportunity to adopt them later if the case goes to that...but what the above poster said IS correct. There ARE legally free children in MD, and you have to have a foster license, be matched with them, and foster them for 6mos before you'd be legally able to adopt them. However, most of the children who are "more adoptable" (ie, have fewer medical or mental/behavioral problems) are adopted by the foster parents who care for them while the case is still in reunification mode and then get the first chance at adoption if if comes to that.

SMC is desperately in need of foster parents. We are sending our children to other MD counties b/c our homes are full. That being said, this is not *easy* at all. While it *is* worth it, it is also incredibly stressful. Make sure you go into it with your eyes (and hearts) wide open.
 
puggymom

puggymom

Active Member
SamSpade said:
My son has been asking lately if he will have a brother. My wife and I have often discussed the idea of foster children when they get a little older.

I have two questions -

1. Has your experience with the fostering program been good for you? As in, does the state of Maryland do their job well?

and

2. Is there often - or rarely - a path to adoption? I'm good either way really, as I will have a full house but I'm just curious if it happens much.
Click to expand...

I have a friend (in Texas) who just officially adopted twins (about 18 months now) that they have fostered since the babies were able to come home from the hospital. I think what someone else said was correct. In her case once the birth mom finally relinquished her rights the adoption process went smoothly.
 
D

daylily

no longer CalvertNewbie
foxxynhounds said:
Someone said that you can only foster children who are being removed from their families NOW and may be given the opportunity to adopt them later if the case goes to that...but what the above poster said IS correct. There ARE legally free children in MD, and you have to have a foster license, be matched with them, and foster them for 6mos before you'd be legally able to adopt them. However, most of the children who are "more adoptable" (ie, have fewer medical or mental/behavioral problems) are adopted by the foster parents who care for them while the case is still in reunification mode and then get the first chance at adoption if if comes to that.

SMC is desperately in need of foster parents. We are sending our children to other MD counties b/c our homes are full. That being said, this is not *easy* at all. While it *is* worth it, it is also incredibly stressful. Make sure you go into it with your eyes (and hearts) wide open.
Click to expand...

You seem to know a lot about this so I have a question for you. How long does it typically take to actually bring a foster chid into your home after beginning the process? We're not ready yet, I want my son to be a little older before possibly bringing in another child, but hubby & I have been thinking of fostering in the future and/or possibly adopting. I guess I'm just trying to figure out when we should start the process.
 
Roman

Roman

Active Member
I don't claim to know a whole lot about this subject, but have had Friend's that became Fosters. I think it's a pretty long process with all of the Paper Work, and Back Ground checks, then the Classes you have to take. (I think) Then, the whole Family has to have Physicals etc. If you are thinking about doing this in the future, it is my opinion that you start now. Correct me if I'm wrong, but..even if you finish all of the above, I don't think you'll have to take a Child on until it is the right time for you. During this whole process, you will know when you are ready. My hat is off to you for even thinking of doing this. Thank goodness for people like you.!!
 
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