Adopting a child is a huge decision. You have to make many choices once you decide this is what you want to do.
You have two general ways to adopt. You can go through a private service or adopt from the foster system. The New York Times explains adoption from the foster system comes with some specific considerations.
The children
When you adopt through the foster system, you need to understand these children often have difficult backgrounds. They may have been through some terrible situations, including abuse and neglect. You will have to be ready to deal with issues the child may have.
In addition, they may still have ties to their biological family, and you need to understand what those are. You may have to deal with family members or even the parents. You also may have to wait until the parental rights end, which could be a long time if the parents wish to fight for their children.
The requirements
Because the state has custody of the children in foster care, the requirements for adopting are very strict. The state must ensure it is only adopting children out to families that will take very good care of them. You will have to undergo training and plenty of screenings.
Adopting from the foster system can be difficult. These are older children most of the time who have special needs of some type in most cases. But in the end, the process is well worth it to give a child a loving home. As long as you go into the process with your eyes wide open, you should be successful in your adoption journey.
