Adopt or Foster

Why adopt or foster?

Below is a very brief overview of adoption & fostering. For further information, see:

A beginner’s guide from New Family Social

A selection of blogs from LGBT adopters and foster carers

Adoption

When you adopt, you become the new, permanent parent for a child or children who can’t live with their birth parents.  Some of the reasons to form a permanent family by adoption may include:

it can be be extremely rewarding to become the new “forever family” for a child or children who are going through a difficult time.

as an adoptive parent you will have full parental responsibility.  The process itself involves many other people, but once you have adopted, your legal status is straightforward.

if you are a couple you will be parenting on an equal footing, as neither of you will have a biological link to your new child.

Fostering

Foster carers look after children who may move on to a different home.  This might be for short periods, but sometimes the children might stay in their foster families until they are adults.  Some of the reasons to become a foster carer include:

it can be be extremely rewarding to care for a child or children who are going through a difficult time.

you may enjoy helping children move on to a new family, or to return to their birth parents.

you may enjoy caring for older children, who might be with you for long periods.

Single?

Many people adopt of foster on their own, including LGBT people.  Around 10% of members of New Family Social are single.

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Published: 20-Feb-2014: (2293)