Grace
LOVE
LOUDER
by Caring
for those
in need
BY ROBIN F. DEMATTIA
O
OPEN YOUR HOME,
AND HEART, TO
CHILDREN IN NEED
ne of the most rewarding decisions parents can make is to bring a child who
needs love, stability and guidance into their lives as a foster or adopted child.
These children are often removed from their homes because their parent
or guardian has substance abuse, mental ill ness or domestic violence issues. Siblings may be
separated but want to be together. Sometimes, the children themselves have special needs
and no family member who can care for them.
Florida Department of Children and Families statistics show that 16,253 children needed
the department's intervention in fiscal year 2015-16. Within 12 months, 44.9 percent were
reunified with parents, adopted (2,438) or living with a guardian.
Locally, the Children’s Network of Southwest Florida annually assists more than 2,000
abused and neglected children in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties.
Foster and adoptive parents often need to care for children whose history, culture and
family relationships are different from their own. Especially when children have been removed from difficult situations, parents will need sensitivity and flexibility. Training and support are provided both prior to and after children have become part of a new home.
Foster and adoptive parents may be single, married, divorced or widowed; must be at
least 21 years of age; must consent to criminal and child abuse registry checks; must be
financially able to provide for their own present needs and family emergencies; must permit
a health inspection; must have enough physical space in their home to accommodate children; must attend required training and counseling sessions; and must be willing to work in
partnership with everyone involved in the child’s life to meet his or her needs.
Foster families receive a stipend to help with the expenses while a child is in their home.
A monthly maintenance subsidy can be paid to adoptive parents to help provide for the special needs of an adoptive child. Several other forms of assistance, including college tuition,
are available for parents and children.
The Children's Network of Southwest Florida does not charge a fee for adoption services.
The main costs for adoption are court and attorney fees, which are eligible for limited reimbursement of nonrecurring adoption-related expenses.
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November 2016 - March 2017