Navigating the State Foster Care System
Could your baby end up in foster care?
If you are unable to care for your child right now, a case worker may suggest a foster parent to care for your child. This may seem like a good option, but before you agree... know your choices and rights.
Terrible Timing?
When parents are unable to care for their children, their child(ren) may be at risk of entering foster care. The reasons they're unable to parent are vast, but may include: addiction, homelessness, mental health issues, domestic violence, incarceration or some very unpredictable circumstances. When parents are unable to find stability after a significant time, parental rights are in danger of becoming terminated and these children can remain in the foster care system for a significant amount of their childhood.
This can happen to anyone.
Generally, when a child is placed into foster care, it's because their parents are facing some kind of major struggle. It’s important for an expectant or parenting individual to know about the option to make a private adoption plan and access it, especially if parental rights are in danger of being terminated. This puts the ball in their court, dignifying them with choices.
We want to help change the system.
We want every parent who is in danger of potentially losing their parental rights to know they have the choice to make a private adoption plan and hand select who parents their child.
Relationship Building and Lifelong Services
Choice has over 60 years of combined experience helping build relationships between birth parents and adoptive families. We work behind the scenes to give everyone the skills and tools they need to create a strong and healthy foundation for a relationship together. We’re there for the life of their adoption, providing access to lifelong counseling, relationship guidance, emotional support and more.
Proactively Planning
By proactively planning an open adoption, a birth parent can choose and form a lifelong friendship with the adoptive parents and be present as their child grows and thrives. They can have a voice in their child’s future and find stability while ensuring their child has a loving family from day one..
Many parents in the system believe the only type of adoption available to them is a DHS/state adoption. They see this as a process in which they fail. But, we believe that parenting doesn’t have to be an either/or process. Currently, reunification is associated with success, and DHS/state adoption with failure. The parent either wins or loses the child, with no choice in the middle. Our open adoption programs give at-risk parents another choice. They aren’t severing ties with their child; they’re actively involved in their child’s life forever.
Birth parents can chose, meet and have a relationship with prospective adoptive parents. They can even choose to meet the couple’s friends and family members. Ongoing counseling is offered completely free of charge as long as needed. A legally enforceable agreement is made, creating time for regular visits and updates.
Birth Plans and Placement
The birth parent(s) create a birth and hospital plan, where they detail the role of the adoptive parents at the hospital. The birth parent advocate is present at the hospital to help them navigate the hospital experience and provide extra support. Birth parents will sign legal consent only when they’re ready, without pressure. DHS will be informed when placement is legally accomplished.