According to the Dave Thomas Foundation, there are over 150,000 children available for adoption in North America and 30,000 of them are in the Canadian foster care system. The average age of these waiting children is eight years old. However, many Canadian adoptive parents are adopting infants and younger children by fostering with a view to adopt.
Benefits of Fostering a Child Before Adopting
There are many pros of choosing to foster a child before adopting her, the most important one being that she is with her permanent family sooner. Other benefits include:
- Foster parents are sometimes privy to information about the child’s birth family that adoptive parents are not routinely given
- Future adoptive parents and siblings can bond with the foster child sooner
- Structure and routine are consistent through foster care arrangement and adoption
- Financial support and planning for the child’s developmental, emotional and social needs are available through the child welfare organization
- Less disruption to the child’s life
Another positive aspect of fostering a child with a view to adopt is that the future adoptive family may have a chance to meet the child’s birth family. As open adoptions are becoming more common, the contact and information obtained during meetings will be invaluable to the adopted child in the future.
Challenges of Fostering a Child With a View to Adopt
When looking at the option of fostering a child before adoption, the biggest factor that holds adoptive families back is the possibility of the child going back to the birth family. Aside from the pain and anxiety over the possibility of a reversal, other cons of fostering before adoption are:
- The stress of arranging the family schedule to permit visitations between birth family and foster child
- Dealing with the emotions and challenges the foster child may have following a visit with birth family
- It may be many months or years before the child can be legally adopted by the foster family
- Attachment with the child may be impacted by delays in adoption finalization and fear of an adoption reversal
Despite the stress and upheaval to the foster/adoptive family’s life during the waiting time, the consistent routine and semi-permanent arrangement is very beneficial to the child.
Preparing for the Transition From Fostering to Adoption
Even if a child has been fostered by a family since birth, the permanency of an adoption status may bring forward some issues for the newly adopted child. Key things that adoptive parents need to keep in mind are:
- To not assume that even though the adoptive family is relieved the adoption is final, the child may not feel the same way
- To keep routines, expectations and living arrangements the same for the child as they were before the adoption
- Mark the finalization of the child’s adoption with a celebration
- To follow through on promises to maintain contact with birth family members and to take the lead from the child as to the nature of the contact
By becoming involved in a foster child’s life early on, adoptive parents create the environment for a happy, well-adjusted child. As stated in the vision of the Dave Thomas Foundation, "Every child will have a permanent home and a loving family", fostering with a view to adopt gives kids the consistent and caring support that every child deserves.
Angela Krueger - As an adoptive parent and PRIDE adoption trainer, Angela uses her insights to help others on their adoption journey.
