Home > Foster Parent Adoption: A Bulletin for Professionals > Costs of Foster Parent Adoption

Foster Parent Adoption
Bulletin for Professionals

Author(s):  Child Welfare Information Gateway

Year Published:  2006

Email Order (Free)  Print  (PDF 313 KB)  Share

Rate This    4.0/5, 3 Reviews

previous

You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - Trends in Foster Parent Adoption 2 - Benefits of Foster Parent Adoption 3 - Costs of Foster Parent Adoption 4 - Practice Issues With Children and Parents 5 - Pre- and Postadoption Services 6 - Questions for Further Research References Resources

next

3. Costs of Foster Parent Adoption

Just as there are benefits, there are also costs when foster parents adopt. While families gain autonomy, they lose the assistance of the agency and relationships with caseworkers. They may receive fewer resources and supports, leaving the family financially vulnerable. While the parents gain decision-making privileges, they become financially responsible for the child's welfare, as well as legally responsible for the child's actions. Some of these costs to parents may be mitigated by adoption assistance and other postadoption services. A potential cost to the agency may be the cost of a foster home becoming unavailable to other children needing foster care. If parents decide to discontinue fostering after they adopt or if the number of children in the home after a child's adoption exceeds the number allowed by State policy, then the agency has lost a foster home.

previous

You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - Trends in Foster Parent Adoption 2 - Benefits of Foster Parent Adoption 3 - Costs of Foster Parent Adoption 4 - Practice Issues With Children and Parents 5 - Pre- and Postadoption Services 6 - Questions for Further Research References Resources

next

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Email Order (Free)  Print  (PDF 313 KB)  Share

Updated on October 9, 2009