Foster Child Adoption: An Alternative To Costly Private Adoptions

According to the Child Welfare League of America, there are over 126,000 children in foster care who are legally available for adoption in the U.S.  Adopting from foster care is a great alternative to traditional private adoption, which typically costs an average of $20,000 or more.  There are many families who want to adopt, but find the cost of private adoption, whether domestic or international, to be out of reach financially.  By adopting from the foster care system, adoption once again becomes a viable option for the average family.

 A drawback to foster child adoption is that most of the children available are older children, above age 7, and most have had parental rights terminated due to abuse or neglect; therefore, there is the potential of physical, emotional, or behavioral problems resulting from past maltreatment.  However, most public adoption agencies will provide services and support beyond the adoption finalization, and the children often qualify for medical and mental health subsidies from the state.

If you are interested in adopting from foster care contact your local social services agency for further information.