Who Are the Foster Children Available for Adoption in Ohio

If you’re considering opening your home to a OH foster child for adoption. you may be wondering, “Who are Ohio foster children available for adoption?” That’s a fair question, and we want to help you find the answer.   

Sure, there’s a lot of upside to private adoption: increased certainty, a shorter path to permanent adoption, and greater control over the process, to name a few. However, foster care adoption is still the preference of some hopeful families because it lets them provide foster kids available for adoption in OH with the home they deserve. 

Still deciding between private adoption and foster care adoption? That’s okay, you get to take your time deciding. Many hopeful parents struggle with that decision. It may be helpful to discuss your options with an adoption professional. Fortunately, you can talk to one of our specialists today by calling 1-800-ADOPTION or completing our online form.

Below, we’ll shine a spotlight on foster children for adoption in Ohio: who they are, how many there are, and what special needs they may have.

What Do You Need to Know About Ohio Foster Kids Waiting for Adoption?

Foster kids for adoption in Ohio are just like kids who aren’t in foster care for the most part. Each one is on a journey to define who they want to become. Like any other kids, they’re growing, learning, playing, and enjoying time with friends. The primary distinction is that foster children waiting for adoption in OH need a stable, loving home.

An important difference between the average foster child for adoption in OH and any other kid is the average Ohio kid for adoption is more likely to have experienced some significant childhood trauma in the home of their biological parents. The purpose of foster care is to protect kids from those situations. When they are abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents or guardians, the state removes them from that dangerous environment.

How Many Children in Foster Care in Ohio are Available for Adoption?

There are around 400,000 U.S. children in the foster system who are under the age of 18. Approximately 16,000 children in foster care are cared for by the Ohio state foster system. About 2,600 of those kids per year are Ohio foster children available for adoption.

As of 2020 (the most recent full year that data was available), 1,496 adoptions involving children in foster care were finalized in Ohio. That number decreased by approximately 12% from the previous year in 2019.

Do Some of the Foster Children Up for Adoption in Ohio Have Special Needs?

First, it’s important to understand that the widely accepted meaning of “special needs” differs slightly in the context of adoption. Many foster kids for adoption in Ohio are classified as “special needs” not because of physical or mental conditions, but because they are particularly difficult to place for foster care adoption professionals.

A significant number of OH foster children up for adoption fall into one of the “special needs” categories below. Before deciding to pursue foster care adoption, it’s a good idea to assess the challenges that may stem from these heightened needs.

Read more below to learn additional information about some of the special needs children in foster care available for adoption in Ohio may have.

Sibling Groups

The primary goal of the Ohio foster care system is to keep biological families together if the possibility exists. If that’s not possible, the state prefers to place Ohio foster children for adoption who are siblings in the same home.

Joint placement of siblings is critical for the well-being of foster kids available for adoption in Ohio. For many kids in foster care, their siblings are the long constant in their lives. Below you can read some of the advantages of joint placement of sibling groups:

• Easier to adapt to new circumstances
• Mutual support from siblings during a trying time
• Emotional benefits of having someone familiar nearby
• Greater sense of security
• No feelings of longing and searching for lost brothers and sisters
• Lower risk of failed placements
• Fewer moves

Older Children

When you pursue private domestic adoption, you’re most likely adopting a newborn or infant. But opening your home to foster kids for adoption in OH involves adopting an older child most of the time. Not all prospective parents are concerned with the adoptee’s age, but if your goal is to adopt a baby, foster care adoption probably isn’t the path for you.

Around 99 percent of our placements at American Adoptions involve newborns and infants. If you have your heart set on adopting an infant, partnering with us can help you reach your goal of an efficient, ethical adoption on a shorter timeline.

Conversely, most OH foster children available for adoption are beyond toddler age. The national average age of a child in foster care was 7.7 years old in 2017. In Ohio, the median age of children adopted from foster care was 6 years old, and the median age for kids in foster care awaiting reunification or adoption was 6.9 years old. 

You may prefer to adopt an infant from foster care, but your wait time will likely be measured in years rather than months. If opening your home to an older OH foster kid for adoption appeals to you, foster care adoption could fit well in your plan.  

Physical/ Emotional/ Medical Conditions

As is the case with any cross-section of children, some foster children for adoption in Ohio have special mental, emotional, medical or developmental needs. Some hopeful parents may feel called to provide a home to a child with special needs, a child with previous trauma, or a child with mobility issues. 

Parenting is financially, emotionally and physically challenging even under the best of circumstances.  It requires a significant investment of time, knowledge and effort on your behalf. But giving a home to an OH foster child for adoption with special needs demands an even greater commitment from their parents, and not everyone is ready or able to deal with that.

There are also kids who have no physical or mental disabilities but who still have unseen needs, nonetheless. For example, removal from the biological family and the biological home is traumatic for a child. The hope is that by providing the foster child for adoption in OH with a permanent home and loving family, they’ll be able to heal and have a chance at the life they deserve.

What Opening Your Home to Ohio Foster Kids Up for Adoption Can Mean for You

Welcoming foster children available for adoption in OH into your home is noble and loving. However, practically speaking, it is also challenging sometimes. Adopting an infant and assimilating them into your home and family can be simple, while accepting an older OH foster kid for adoption can lead to additional difficulties.

Some of the unique challenges of adoption from foster care include:

• Additional steps prior to finalization: If finding a foster child for adoption in Ohio is in your plan, you need to know that you must undergo additional training not in private domestic adoptions. These extra steps may bog down the process or create scheduling conflicts. For instance, the PS-MAPP training spans 24 hours of course work. You don’t have to go through training to pursue private domestic adoption, though.
• Childhood adversity can cause trauma: Many foster children available for adoption in OH have endured considerable adversity prior to placement in foster care, which can result in trauma. These children may experience difficulty in their new homes and need help from a counselor to process their situation. For an adoptive parent, that could mean investments of time, emotion, and funds. That’s not the case with private domestic infant adoption because your child will be in your home from infancy. You can also choose open adoption, and that contact with birth parents can help them process feelings of loss, grief, and rejection.
• Fostering to adopt can be emotionally difficult: If you’re looking for OH foster kids for adoption and plan to start by “fostering to adopt,” you may find yourself frustrated and disappointed as long as the birth parent’s parental rights of the birth parents are intact. When those rights aren’t terminated by the court, it can cause difficulty for an adoptive family. Even if an adoption opportunity eventually materializes, it may take years. When you choose private domestic adoption, birth parents waive their parental rights voluntarily. After they sign the adoption paperwork, your adoption can be finalized legally.
• Possibility of biological family reunification: If you plan to open your home to a foster child for adoption in OH, you may begin with fostering to adopt pending termination of the birth parent’s rights. Foster care agencies strive to restore children in foster care to their birth parents safely. Adoption is a secondary goal once the rights of the birth parents are exhausted, so you may be disappointed if permanent adoption isn’t possible. That’s not an issue with private domestic adoption. Once the adoption paperwork is signed, your child is fully yours to love and cherish.

Reasons You May Consider Private Domestic Adoption to Start Your Family

The idea of opening your home to foster children available for adoption in OH is truly noble, and we applaud your desire to make that kind of difference in a child’s life. Still, we also encourage you to consider the benefits offered by private domestic adoption before committing to your decision. It remains the most direct, guaranteed path to permanent family growth.

Yes, welcoming a foster child for adoption in Ohio into your family is selfless and noble, but so is adopting a baby. If you choose to adopt an infant through private adoption, like other adoptive families, you’ll find the experience to be life-altering. Some of the advantages of private infant adoption include:

• You can adopt an infant
• There’s no risk that the child will have trauma or difficulties stemming from childhood adversity.
• Your adoption experience will be guided by your wishes in your Adoption Planning Questionnaire (APQ)
• You’ll go through fewer steps than with foster care adoption
• There’s less uncertainty because birth parents offer consent before private adoption can proceed. You don’t need to wait for termination of birth parent parental rights
• You get to choose open adoption that allows contact between you, your child, and the birth parents
• And much more

If you’re focused on a foster child for adoption in Ohio, you may already have your path plotted. But if infant adoption seems more appealing, there’s no better agency to partner with than American Adoptions.

For almost three decades, we’ve assisted more than 13,000 families with their adoptions, and we can boast an industry-leading 100% success rate for families who remain active with our agency. We also provide 12x more promotion and marketing than our leading competitors. For you, that translates to shorter wait times (an average of 12 months) when you partner with American Adoptions.

Our staff of experienced, empathetic licensed social workers includes many who are adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth mothers themselves. They’ve walked in your shoes, and they know what it’s like. They are committed to helping you have a satisfying and pleasant adoption experience.

If you’re still thinking about opening your home to an infant through private adoption or an foster kid for adoption in Ohio, please contact our specialists. We’re here to help you sort through your options. To speak with someone today, please call 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our online form.

Closing Thoughts About Children in Foster Care Waiting for Adoption in Ohio

Opening your heart and family to foster children available for adoption in Ohio is a wonderful thing. It’s not the best way to build a family for every prospective adoptive parent, and private adoption has some unique advantages that can help you build the family of your dreams.

To discuss your options with one of our seasoned adoption professionals, please call 1-800-ADOPTION or complete our online form today. 

Disclaimer
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