Adopting foster children is a rewarding experience.
When deciding to add on to their family, many couples and individuals in Maryland choose to adopt children in foster care. The most common route to adopting a foster child is to participate in the foster-to-adoption program. The family will foster a child until his parents' parental rights are severed. Then the child is available for adoption. Although there are many children in desperate need of permanent families, the foster-to-adoption program is long and sometimes tedious, but definitely worth the effort.
Instructions
1. Understand the Maryland requirements for foster care and adoption. Although the requirements may vary in different counties, most Maryland counties require citizenship in the county you are adopting from, references from friends or family members who have witnessed your parenting ability, foster and adoption education classes, home inspection and home study, a clean criminal record, background check, sufficient income and the ability to implement positive parenting strategies.
2. Call your county's department of health and human services. They can send you the application to begin the process of dual licensing. Dual licensing in Maryland allows families to foster children with the intent to adopt them when they become legally available. Most counties provide an information meeting that you should attend.
3. Schedule a home study, house inspection and fingerprinting. According to Maryland foster and adoption guidelines, every adult living in your home must have background checks and fingerprinting done.
4. Stay in close contact with your case worker throughout the approval process and comply with all guidelines. While you are fostering the child and waiting to adopt him, you must encourage birth parent visits. After the birth parents' parental rights are terminated, you can start the Maryland adoption process.
5. Cooperate with the adoption case worker during the adoption process. During this time a case worker will make periodic home visits to ensure a smooth adoption process and assist with any adjustment problems the child or family may have. Maryland adoptions are usually finalized about 6 months after the child becomes legally available.
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