Understanding Foster Care and Adoption

Cliff Davis has a long history of supporting children’s services and programs, primarily foster care and adoption. These services are crucial to the well-being of our future generations. In order to strengthen society as a whole, we must raise strong children. It is safe to assert that most kids in the foster care system are at a disadvantage and need immense love and support. Adoption provides an alternative solution for mothers who are unable to care for their children. In both circumstances, raising children in happy, healthy, loving homes is the goal. There are some important differences between foster care and adoption. It is helpful to understand these distinctions.

The most notable difference between these two services is that foster care is temporary and adoption is permanent. Foster care aims to get children back into a permanent home as quickly as possible. Typically, this means returning the child to their parents or legal guardian. However, sometimes kids in foster care become available for adoption. Adoption is permanent. Once an adoption is final, the adoptive parents are forever that child’s legal guardians.

From a legal standpoint, there is also an important distinction between these two services. In a foster care situation, the birth parents retain parental rights. This means a foster parent cannot make major parenting decisions that require legal guardianship. This may include medical decisions, signing specific forms, changing the child’s name or religion and so on. Adoption on the other hand provides the adoptive parents with full legal parental rights. The birth parents cease to have any parental rights, giving all of those rights to the adoptive parents.

Both of these services provide significant building blocks in the lives of many children. The importance of these programs cannot be overstated. If you are interested in becoming a foster care parent, contact your local child welfare department. If you are considering adoption, as a birth parent or as an adoptive parent, Cliff recommends Destiny adoption agency.