Thank you!
We’ll be contacting you shortly — in the mean time, this helpful packet is an introduction for folks in Utah interested in becoming a foster parent or adopting thru foster care—download it today:
First Steps for Foster/Adoptive Parents
Asking us about foster care is always no-obligation and free of charge — just the way it should be.
How & Why
The primary goal of foster care is to provide a nurturing home for children until it is safe for them to return to their biological families. When it is safe to do so, returning home is best for the children. Some biological families, however, are unable to resolve their problems and reunification isn’t possible. When this happens, the State is responsible to find these children a new and permanent home—often, this is done through adoption.
Adopting thru foster care has many benefits. There are two ways to adopt children from foster care: the first is foster-to-adopt; the second is adopt a waiting child.
Benefits Foster-to-adopt Adopt a Waiting Child BenefitsRegardless of the path you take, adopting thru foster care is an attractive option for those seeking to grow their families:
- avoids the astronomical fees associated with private adoption
- free preparatory training to help you navigate the inevitable bumps along the way
- Medicaid support for each child, with other subsidies available on an as-needed basis
- comprehensive post-adoptive support
- free on-going peer support
Foster-to-adopt is the process in which families begin as foster parents, eventually adopting a child they are caring for. Families choose this route to adoption because:
- They are interested in younger children
- Are seeking a faster route to adoption
- Are willing and able to foster a few children before finally adopting
There are no guarantees and the welfare of the child always takes priority, but this has been a successful path to adoption for countless Utah families. For families who would like to adopt without doing foster care, adopting a waiting child may be a better option.
Adopt a Waiting ChildAdopting a waiting child is where a family works towards the adoption of a specific child (or sibling group). Families choose this option because:
- They are interested in adopting school-aged children or teens
- Wish to avoid the emotional stresses that accompany reunification
- Don’t mind waiting a little longer
Adopting a waiting child requires that a family successfully complete training and pass the approved* home study. This process can take a few months. Too often, families find a child on the Exchange, only to have that child placed with another family during the wait. Because of this, we encourage foster families to complete that process before visiting Raise The Future in search of available children in Utah.
* Ill-informed outside agencies may tell you that any home study will do. Talk to us before making a costly mistake.
