One Example of How our Foster care and Licensing Departments Work with Our Adoption Department
I became responsible in 2020 for an adoption involving a 4-year-old girl. It was explained to her that I was going to find her a forever family. I was going to have to photo list her as she was not matched with a family. Every couple the child met she instantly thought were her new parents. One couple met her and within hours wanted to sign the intent to adopt and to move forward with adoption. Saying that they just clicked and what a great kid she was. The very next visit they knelt down on her level and told her that they would see her tomorrow and even called themselves mom and dad. Right after that visit (within minutes) they sent me and the foster care worker an email stating that they felt like things were moving too fast (I agreed); unfortunately, this family wanted to both halt steps toward adoption and not visit or get to know the child anymore.
The next day the foster care worker and I received an email from the licensing supervisor (both employees of our organization) stating they had the perfect family for this child. I instantly responded: NO WAY are we putting this kiddo through meeting another family when we still had to go and tell her that the most recent family is not going to adopt her and she wasn’t going to see them again. We knew she would be devastated. The foster care worker was insistent that the family would be a great fit and convinced me to schedule a ZOOM meeting to meet the family.
I am so happy that she did. We had the meeting and I asked them a million questions. This family is absolutely perfect for her. After many visits over many weeks, the child was placed in the home. This child has a lot of needs and some pretty severe mental health needs. This family is doing more than is asked of them, however, there are some really rough days. The foster care worker and I spend a lot of time taking after hours phone calls and making extra home visits. We are moving forward with the adoption and this child is so loved. She is right where she needs to be. After she was placed with the family she would get nervous every time the foster care worker and I would visit, because she thought we were going to move her again (she had been in 4 or 5 placements in a very short period of time). We explained to her that we had to find the perfect family for her and that since we found them she gets to stay with them forever. It took her a little while to trust me again after the first couple however now that she is stable and happy she understands.
I believe that I am making a difference in this child’s life because I am there for her when she needs me, and I love and support her. She has become very special to me and so has the family. However, this is a team effort. The foster care worker and I will both fight for this child in any way that we can, and support her and her family even after the adoption. This is a special relationship that we both cherish very much.
