Foster Care- NoVA - recommendations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back to add in regards of going to adopt immediately.

I have a moral objection with the cost and time frame of domestic (and international) adoptions. Foster-to-adopt does not rack up tens of thousands of dollars of expenses. We are very financially stable, but we don't agree with waiting 1+ years and funding or financing an adoption at the price of 20k+. We would much rather foster and bond with a child or children over the time we would be waiting to process TPR and move to adoption. The goal is reunification, but around 40-50% in foster care end up being available for adoption. We're willing to adopt a child we have fostered, should the opportunity arise.

We want to be parents, temporary or permanent.

So yes, you are looking at foster/adopt bc you see it as the cheap option. Good luck with that idea.

It can take a couple years before they even decide to go to terminate rights. When they do that, they will search again for family. If they find any that are willing they will then start a home study process for them which tacks on months or years. Now during all that time, while the child is in your home, who pays to take care of the child? Do you think the small stipend the state is actually going to cover all your expenses?

We found that the county more than covered our costs. In some ways it was embarrassing how well we were compensated. I was very surprised.

Alexandria will only keep a child's status undetermined for 1 year. So it's not years as pp mentioned. Honestly pp sound like he has limited experience, at least with local agencies.