Our Journey to Adoption | Adopting From Foster Care

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We recently went through the process of adopting from foster care, so I wanted to share our adoption story on my channel for anyone who is considering adopting. In this video, I talk about how foster care adoption works, why we chose to adopt, toddler adoption, our journey to meeting our daughter, and more! When we first started thinking about adopting, I always was looking for inspirational adoption stories or videos containing information about the adoption process. I know it is very hard to find videos about adopting from foster care, so I hope you find this helpful!
Have you considered adopting? What is the one thing keeping you from starting the process? Tell me in the comments!
When Adoption is Plan A (blog post): lacasadekatie....
#fostercareawareness #fostercareadoption #fostertoadopt
--- Comment Policy ---
This channel is a space to encourage and uplift one another. We may have differing views, but we can still get along and be kind. That being said, any hurtful, mean, offensive, or malicious comments will be deleted.
Thanks so much for watching!
-Katie

[@adoptinformed]

Want more adoption help? Schedule a consultation with me! ✨ www.adoptinformed.com/consultation

[@yelenamirko850]

I’m one of those women!! I have a desire to have kids but don’t have a desire to have biological kids. So I totally understand you. Thanks for sharing your story! I’ve been binge watching your videos and they are so helpful and real.

[@adoptinformed]

A kindred spirit! 😊 and thank you for your kind words...I tend to question what to share and if anyone would even care to hear about my experience, so it means a lot! 💕

[@brooke850]

Same! I feel the same as you two do about having children but not biological. I have Never came across another person who thinks/feels this way!!!

[@DrDianeThompson]

Same.

[@alicetheegreet]

I was just going to comment your comment word for word. I have not the inclination to birth nor raise any bio children either. But I do want to adopt and raise some eventually.

[@LoversFriends]

Same

[@visi7891]

when i was 24, i watched THE FOSTERS tv show.. and that just stuck with me ever since. i too wasnt ready financially, I was learning about romantic relationships, and i wasnt ready to have a kid emotionally, either. Now I'm 30 and I'm doing some serious research on how to start, and always soul-searching, ensuring that I'm spiritually in the right place and in right relationship with these children

[@Southerngirlinanorthernworld]

We met our daughter exactly 6 months ago, today. Everything happened really quickly, she moved in with us after just two weeks of meeting her. We consider ourselves really blessed. I really enjoy your videos and I think it's good you are sharing the hard things about adoption aswell as the positive. Being a parent is challenging for anyone, but it's especially challenging for a adoptive parents, we have to deal with the trauma and birth family and so on.

[@georgejay5006]

Goodness I've used that job applicant analogy so often. It helps remind my mother in particular why submitting a home study doesn't mean I'm a mom yet.

[@Heretolearn1987]

I'm just now researching adoption from foster care. I've always wanted to do it since I was a young child and my parents were foster parents, and adopted my eldest sister. I've also been a "teen mom" when I was 11 my parents were absent, but had a "try over baby" aka my little sister, and I actually landed up raising her till. I've never wanted my own bio kids, but would love helping other kids. I love how you explained it, that you wanted kids, but were fine not having bio kids. I sort of felt weird with this feeling, it's nice to know that there are OTHER women with this same feeling.

[@adoptinformed]

Yes! There are other women out there like us...not too many, but some 😊

[@vivianflores02]

Me and my spouse are in the process of becoming foster parents, I hope the process goes smoothly💕

[@fosterfam2563]

We have been foster parents for almost 2 years and are on track to hopefully adopt .

[@adoptinformed]

that's so awesome! I'm sure the waiting is hard, but it's so worth it :)

[@janellemargot4376]

👍💜

[@jillianlea9690]

we have been foster parents for a year and a half now and I love it . it is hard , joyful , heartbreaking and all things in between. the journey god has led us on is truly amazing . what I love about opening our doors through the county is that any child freed for adoption will not have to process another transition. it has pushed me out of my own desires and more into my calling of helping families and parenting . in the beginning and now, i often think am i good enough for this but i just keep trusting and sitting in the storm and the good places. i cant imagine my life and personal growth without this experience. trauma touches all ages . trauma informed parenting is a great space to foster from , thanks for sharing

[@theresagbekia1284]

Please respond I love this it’s motivating me. I am aways put down as a single young 23 year old woman. But I’ve worked super hard. I am a home owner and a business owner and I feel like I’m stable enough to adopt at least one child for now. Watching your videos has definitely kept me motivated in my search and to continue with this dream to adopt a child! Thank you

[@madimccown383]

I’ve learned through this process that if they say one month, assume three months, if they say three months, assume six. Like you said it’s not that that they’re not trying, they’re just so much paperwork and they are stretched so thin.

[@GAMarine137]

Thanks for the video. Considering foster to adopt but concerned about bio family. Candidly, don’t want to engage them. Zero desire to get involved with someone who was abusive, on drugs or in jail.

[@adoptinformed]

I can understand feeling hesitant to get involved with people in those situations. I would just say that there kids go into care for a huge spectrum of reasons. Since this video, we have adopted two older kids and we do maintain contact with their mom via email and zoom. It’s actually been a really positive experience for us, but the details of their case made us comfortable with her. Definitely something to keep looking into! While there are some bad stories, a lot of foster parents have good experiences interacting with bio family.

[@sistersforever9340]

I’m a foster mom. My first placement was an 11 month old. It was SO hard. He slept 15 minutes at a time during the night for about a week. And lots of tantrums. I didn’t have the appropriate support system of other foster parents to help walk me through it. It’s so important for foster parents and adoptive parents to share the hard.

[@adoptinformed]

Yes...community is so important! I'm really thankful that we know quite a few other adoptive/foster families because it makes a huge difference.

[@thatcrazybusymomlife9326]

This is a HUGE reason we went with SAFY as our organization. It might be more difficult to deal with technically "trauma" children, it if wonderful to know that SAFY has our back and is there for us with anything

[@AutumnRene]

Thank you for sharing your unique story! There isn't enough videos about children waiting in foster care. I shared my journey of adopting from foster care on my channel as well 😊

[@danielleg1504]

We have one biological son… being pregnant and giving birth was a beautifully imperfect experience that I do not regret one bit (during pandemic and our baby was not born healthy, but by the miracle of medical care, he’s still here). We’ve chosen domestic public adoption for our second child, as Plan A, and we’re super excited. Interestingly, people keep assuming that we’re choosing adoption because our biological experience was traumatic… but that’s not the case. We just have a heart to provide a safe haven for a child in need. ❤

[@adoptinformed]

That’s great! Yeah, sometimes people don’t realize we are adopting because we want to, not because we have to!! 😅

[@kirstynalmeida7761]

Wow, this video was really helpful! I identify so much with your story. As mentioned, it’s hard to find foster care adoption stories so thank you for sharing yours. It’s normalizing my experiences as I navigate the matching process of my foster care adoption currently.

[@adoptinformed]

I’m so glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching ☺️

[@christinaselvog8346]

My husband and I will be starting our classes towards the end of March. I’m so nervous, scared and excited all at the same time. I’m the same way where I research every single item I can. Lol. Thank you so much for your story.

[@thatcrazybusymomlife9326]

This is how we are adopting also. We are going through an agency called SAFY. They are a "Trauma Care" agency, so we are a Trauma Informed home. Our child will need most likely a year or more of trauma care. It's been very hard to find a placement for us, because the needs of some of the children that have come available we don't meet. Examples are....we already have children and a child might need to be the only child in the home. Or even us having dogs is wrong for some of these trauma therapy needing children. So we wait and we pray 🙏 CONGRATULATIONS on your adoption going through 💗

[@adoptinformed]

Oh that's wonderful! SAFY is a great organization...we actually almost went through them as well! Yes, there were many children whose needs we weren't able to meet. We did not have other children in our home, but we do have a big (but very friendly) dog. I was surprised how many kids had fears of dogs! We heard a lot of "no"s before we heard a "yes"...but it will happen eventually! Just said a prayer for your family :)

[@harrypotterkidcollector100]

Thank you for sharing your story. My husband and i are going through the same process of hoping to adopt from foster care. We also went through the county before but didn't work out because of their focus on foster care, reunification and the emotional roller coaster coming with that. Similar to you, we decided recently to go with another agency where they focus on adoption from foster care and now working on becoming licensed. I didn't know anything about this before and happy to see similar stories out there.

[@rebeccamccowan8442]

Thank you for sharing!! I am beginning the foster parent process and hope to adopt. I take my first class in a few weeks. It helps to hear about the experiences of others.

[@adoptinformed]

That's so great! It can be a difficult journey but so, so worth it ♥️

[@annewhittemore3771]

Thank you for sharing your story. Your videos and others are really helping me to see the big picture better. I read something about there being 36 couples/families waiting to adopt for every 1 child placed up for adoption, and that blew my mind. So those children aren’t in desperate need of us. Also, we had two bio kids already and would love a baby, but since we’ve been so blessed to already have that experience I started to realize it makes more since to leave those babies to infertile couples, etc. Also, as much as I want a baby emotionally, I have hated that stage both times before so why would I turn down older kids when I have literally cried out to God like “Why can’t I just have a kid handed to me as a toddler??” 😂 It’s all sinking in. I CAN actually, and there are so many waiting children in foster care. I know most of them are older than toddlerhood, but you get the idea. I’m getting excited because I’m getting more clarity on who needs us the most. Seems like a resounding answer of waiting children in foster care!

[@adoptinformed]

I love that you have been considering slightly older kids! In many ways I found adopting our older kids easier than adopting our daughter at 18 months...I get it! Sometimes littles can be tough!

[@briellepetrella2782]

This video was so what I needed... we are just starting this same process with a 18 month old boy. Thank you for telling your story and experience!

[@lilimonje5366]

I just wonder if you also had a parent who was going to stay ad home

[@M_Williams]

I just want to say thank you for making this video it has helped me. My husband and I are in the process of getting a licensed to Adopt through foster care also. I am excited and can’t wait

[@adoptinformed]

You are welcome! I had such a hard time finding videos about adopting from foster care, so I tried to make the kind of video that I would have wanted to see :) So excited for your adoption journey!!!

[@M_Williams]

La Casa de Katie Thank You! :)

[@stephanieschweigert9311]

Thank you for this video, my foster daughters have been with us for over a year and we now have the green light to adopt! We meet our adoption worker next month, and we can’t wait to make it official! While I wait to meet our adoption worker I’m doing just as you said, searching for adoption videos from foster care! :)

[@adoptinformed]

That is so exciting!!! I hope that you can move to the adoption quickly. Contrats! :)

[@jordanmoir1076]

I not watching this!however that's awesome you adopted.its harder than natural creation but MAD RESPECT

[@elenav.mitchell1300]

This is awesome! I wish there would have been more videos like this when we first started the process years ago. So much that people don’t tak about with the Foster to Adopt process. My husband and I went through this process in 2015/2016 and then again in 2018/2019. We are finally at the end of finalizing the adoption of our second son. With courts being closed at this point it has prolonged it, but all we need now is the judge to give that final signature! It was a long process but worth every second.

[@adoptinformed]

I agree there really isn’t enough information out there about adopting waiting children! I made a few other videos about it recently for that reason. I’m sorry that your adoption hearing has been delayed! We are in the visitation stage of our second adoptive placement now and have only been able to meet our kids one time so far because of the virus. Can’t wait until visits and finalization are back on schedule!

[@janellemargot4376]

Did you do foster to adopt from the get go? Did you wait a long time for a placement?

[@michaelaschmidt8816]

This was so helpful! We are just starting to feel the Lord calling us into adoption and I am trying to find all the information I can! Your videos are so helpful! We are in the military, so I'm really hoping that won't make the process ALOT harder!

[@KatieJerome7]

Just found this video! My husband and i want to foster (and potentially adopt). I've been reading and trying to find as much information as i can before we start the process. Honestly it's a little scary since we don't have kids so we have no experience being a parental figure.

[@adoptinformed]

We were in the same boat! Being a first time parent is hard no matter which way it comes about...but we get through it somehow 😊 thanks for checking out my channel and I'm excited you want to foster/adopt!

[@janellemargot4376]

Thanks for making this video. I also feel that adoption is my only option that I want to pursue. I'm fertile from what I know at least but I dont feel called to it. It's a confusing thought. So glad I found this

[@SpfySpaceJam]

I always wanted to adopt since I was young. I want to adopt before I have biological children. With all my heart I want to adopt from foster care my age range is 4yrs-10yrs. Currently I'm 22 but in my state I have to be 25 to adopt 🤭🤦🏾‍♀️. It hurts that I have to wait but I know its worth the wait🙂❤

[@adoptinformed]

It's definitely worth the wait! That's so great that you have a heart for adoption :)

[@JollyHolidaywithMary]

Loved hearing Brielle’s story!

[@Melycast3]

Your channel is such a blessing! I appreciate all the information you share. Hubs and I want to adopt as well, from the foster care system. We already have a biological child and we are ready to grow our family. We tried for a second baby for about 6 months and then, I think God put it in our hearts to adopt instead. We aren't trying anymore, we will adopt. I wonder if anyone here knows of an agency that can help us. We live in South Florida.

[@tassisampaio]

Thank you for sharing your story with so many details. My husband and I are in process to start fostering do adopt. We also don’t have interest in having biological kids, since there are so many kids out there in need of a family and a forever home. Our goal is to get siblings (up to 3) between 8yo and 16yo. I hope it’s not so hard to get them as it was for you with a toddler. We are very excited about it, but kinda worried as well, especially me.

[@adoptinformed]

That's so awesome!! Not sure if you've seen my more recent videos, but we are adopting a sibling pair (10 and 6) right now! We were matched way faster this time around...it only took like 2 months max! I know things are a little slow now with covid though. Keep me posted on your process! 😊

[@tassisampaio]

Sure, will do! I’ll watch some of your other videos tomorrow. By the way, we are Brazilians. 😊

[@adoptinformed]

@@tassisampaio oh that's awesome! I can't remember if I said this in my video, but my husband was born and raised in Brazil! 😊

[@tassisampaio]

@@adoptinformed yes, you did. That’s why I mentioned it. :) I’m from Salvador and my husband is from Porto Alegre. Where is your husband from?

[@momsawaken4314]

I adopted 2kids first. Then I had 2 bio kids. It's all awesome, and different, and each type of parenthood "pathway" actually *really* helps and informs the other. I'd encourage you to do both, if you have room in your hearts!

[@antoniohicksgiggetts6561]

I love your videos and I have been watching for a couple of weeks u have a great story and are so helpful in the process I have learned a lot me and my spouse are going through the process now Thank you again for the info

[@melyssacollins4553]

Oh my gosh THANK YOU!!! My husband and I are starting our journey to do exactly this and there’s shockingly little info about this on KZbin. I’ve been thinking I should start a channel myself- though I hate seeing myself on camera 🙃😬 lol . Really, thank you for this, you have a new follower

[@adoptinformed]

So glad you found my channel! :) agreed...there is not enough info about foster care adoption on KZbin!

[@woundedwarriorartist6315]

We have our first training for foster to adopt! So nervous!

[@adoptinformed]

The first class is always a little nerve-wracking, but don't let it scare you off!

[@LaborofLovesHomestead]

Are you in Texas? We heard that same thing here about the kids sleeping in government offices. So sad. I was called to have a bio child last year the same time as we were looking into adoption and then the agency wouldn’t accept us bc I was pregnant and we have to wait a year from when she was born til we can start the paperwork. I get it, but also it’s a long time to wait. ❤ Hopefully we can find a sibling group to adopt some day.

[@MousyLeigh]

Hey! I’m a foster/ adoption parent who started a KZbin channel last week too.

[@adoptinformed]

Yay that's awesome! I just subscribed 😊

[@MousyLeigh]

Thank you so much and I subscribed to yours too. Excited to see your journey!

[@mallorybingham3522]

I have PCOS so getting pregnant might be hard for me, but I’ve always wanted to adopt! I’m single but hoping to be married in the next 5 years so I can adopt.

[@adaywithjoandty1932]

Mallory Bingham you don’t need to be married to adopt or to foster

[@adoptinformed]

You can adopt or foster without being married! I have a friend who is also on youtube who is a single foster mom. Her channel is "Singly Loving" if you want to check it out :) however, I totally understand if you want to be married first...it definitely helps having a partner through it all!

[@mallorybingham3522]

I'm just worried that if I'm single I'd be less likely to be chosen by a birth mother

[@adoptinformed]

@@mallorybingham3522 oh gotcha. Yeah with foster care adoption that isn't an issue, but I understand that concern with infant adoption. You never know though! I have a friend who adopted a baby girl last year and she is single!

[@mallorybingham3522]

@@adoptinformed it's definitely something I'm gonna look into I'm 25 right now but I definitely want to start looking into it before I'm 30 lol

[@DrDianeThompson]

I am one of those women. Thanks for sharing.

[@lindsaytetreau5169]

I think the reason there are not enough parents to adopt through foster care is because it's easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than complete all the requirements and homestudy process. We are in the midst of beginning the homestudy and are ready to quit already because it's clear even if we get through it they won't give us a child we want they'll give us a child they want to give us and wait it out till we do accept any child at all they feel is best for us. Not who we know is best for us.

[@adoptinformed]

Interesting…that wasn’t our experience, but I did find that my heart opened to more possibilities as we went through the process. Our agency was really good about encouraging us to consider being open to more ages, kids, etc without being pushy. But it is hard because if you are going into waiting child adoption and you only want a baby/toddler with no major diagnoses that just may not be possible, especially in certain states. This type of adoption definitely isn’t right for everyone and there is nothing wrong with that. Maybe a different path to adoption would work better for your family! Wishing you well in your adoption journey! ❤️

[@taylorelchert]

Hi Katie! I am also located in Ohio - I would love to know which agency you used. Do you mind sharing? Thanks!

[@adoptinformed]

Of course! We are with ACTION adoptions. They are a part of NYAP (National Youth Advocacy Program) which is a national foster agency. Action does not have much of a website, but if you DM me or email me at [e-mail] I will send you the info of the social workers...they are amazing!

[@mckenziekaethler3672]

We are going through this process. When you shared with people did you tell them you were fostering or adopting?

[@adoptinformed]

We told people we were adopting! We just explained that there would be a 6 month fostering period before we could finalize. We wanted to make sure that our friends and family felt that our daughter was a part of our family from day 1. So excited for you! I have a couple more adoption videos you might want to check out as well :)

[@djk5v]

I feel like social workers ghosting you when you don’t work out is unacceptable. It’s not hard to create a form email that says hi, thank you so much for your investment and interest in this child(ren). Unfortunately, they were matched with someone else. I know they’re slammed, but that email takes about one minute to send.

[@adoptinformed]

It really is disappointing when you never hear back. I find this is super common on sites like Adopt US kids because it’s a national listing so they get inundated with homestudies. If you reach out to counties or specific states you are more likely to hear back, but still! It’s crazy.

[@Stephy09sNewChannel]

Please read! Can you make a video a out the following concerns, as it is what we are feeling right now? My husband and I are considering foster adoption like you did. We already have 3 bio kids. We would like to adopt one more. Is it difficult for a family with children to adopt? I am worried that they would look for a couple that doesn't have kids. Also, is it bad to want a certain gender? We have a girl and two boys. My daughter wants a sister so we would like a girl but do the social workers look down on that?

[@adoptinformed]

I’ll be making a Q&A video soon, so I will put these on my list :)

[@FG-fn9fx]

Hi Katie! Thank you so much for your videos! I wondered if you'd be willing to share the name of the adoption agency you worked with? Thanks!

[@adoptinformed]

Action adoptions! They don’t have a great web presence, so if you want contact info feel free to email me at [e-mail]

[@Madwriter08]

Do you have a tiktok? Its either I watched you on tiktok or saw this video already?

[@adoptinformed]

I do not have TikTok so maybe you already saw this one! 😂

[@Wife14Mom17]

I really felt like I was going to adopt all of my children. I researched and decided on foster care. My husband wanted at least one biological child. It took over a year just to get a foster license through a county in Ohio. We rarely received calls for placements and that chance of them going back home was high. It just didn’t work for us. I now have two biological children who are 3 years and 7 months. Maybe someday we will look into fostering or adopting again. Right now we are too focused on our biological children.

[@nyecore]

Thank you for making this video. We want to do the same thing

[@saimadailyvlogs]

Does anyone here know any adoption agency in Chicago that doesn't cost you 30,000 dollars to adopt a little one. ?

[@amiw5304]

How do I find an agency that works with waiting children besides local foster care?

[@adoptinformed]

I would just Google the closest main city to you like "Chicago waiting child adoption agency" or wherever you are located! I have found several agencies for others typing in that exact phrase with different cities! As long as the city is in the same state as where you live, you should be eligible to work with them.

[@theresagbekia1284]

What agency did you go through?

[@adoptinformed]

Are you in Ohio? Because you would have to be in Ohio to use the agency I used.

[@silverraindropper8713]

Is this an LGBT inclusive/friendly foster care channel?