Recently, I was talking to someone at an event about fostering and adopting older children. This person was familiar with the topic, but not only did they have a lot of questions, they also had many misconceptions about it.
Incorrect information or a lack of knowledge can be a big deterrent when recruiting adults to be foster or adoptive parents. We hope that people will seek out the answers they need, but sometimes, people don’t. This can be disheartening, since some amazing potential foster/adoptive parents might miss out on the experience simply because of a lack of information.
Each month, we hold two free, no obligation orientations on foster and adoption. These orientations are the first step to learning more about the program and process of f&a. Couples and individuals can meet our staff, which is a huge part of the process. Finding an agency that you trust and can work with is key. Our staff answers questions and provides information that is in-depth and accurate.
If you are considering fostering or adopting a child or sibling group, we encourage you to do some investigating and talk to the experts.
Here is more information about our f&a program:
https://www.settlementhome.org/foster-parents
Here are some additional resources I’ve found that can provide information on foster and adoption for older children.