Adoptive Adoptive ParentsParents

This section This section will cover….will cover….

● Family CultureFamily Culture

● House vs. HomeHouse vs. Home

● Myth BustingMyth Busting

Fam

ily C

ultu

reFam

ily C

ultu

reHow will this change our How will this change our

family dynamics?family dynamics?

Are you changing birth order?Are you changing birth order?

Are you bringing in more than one Are you bringing in more than one foster/adoptive child/sibling set?foster/adoptive child/sibling set?

Do you have family rules?Do you have family rules?

Have you thought about the Have you thought about the implications on biological children?implications on biological children?

Always think of needs of immediate Always think of needs of immediate family first- assessments are regular, family first- assessments are regular, watch for warning signs-are they watch for warning signs-are they themselves? themselves?

hou

se v

s.

hou

se v

s.

hom

eh

om

eDo you want this to be a place Do you want this to be a place where all basic needs are met where all basic needs are met

or a or a HOMEHOME??

Think about…Think about…

Family goalsFamily goals

Family prioritiesFamily priorities

Are you united on all fronts with Are you united on all fronts with your partneryour partner

Myth

Bu

stin

g

Myth

Bu

stin

g

46% 46% believed that foster care adoption is believed that foster care adoption is prohibitively expensiveprohibitively expensive

FACT: there is very little cost involved when FACT: there is very little cost involved when adopting from the foster systemadopting from the foster system

67% 67% potential foster/adoptive parents were potential foster/adoptive parents were concerned biological parents would return to claim concerned biological parents would return to claim their childrentheir children

FACT: once parental rights are stripped, parents can FACT: once parental rights are stripped, parents can never “reclaim” the childnever “reclaim” the child

36% 36% were confused about the foster to adopt processwere confused about the foster to adopt process FACT: the sate does NOT help in the confusion of the FACT: the sate does NOT help in the confusion of the

processprocess

45% 45% believed children in the foster system entered believed children in the foster system entered the system b/c of juvenile delinquencythe system b/c of juvenile delinquency

●FACT: the majority entered to no fault of their own, FACT: the majority entered to no fault of their own, but are victims of abuse, neglect, and abandonmentbut are victims of abuse, neglect, and abandonment

Harris Interactive – National Survery 48 million Americans, 2007