Article by:
Wonswayla Mackey
The goal of foster care is always reunification...going home to their family or moving in with relatives. However, at times, when reunification is not possible, children and teens in foster care may become “legally free” for adoption. This means that their parents’ rights have been terminated and another life-long family is needed to raise the child/teen. The Department of Family Services encourages the child/teen’s family to take the necessary steps to improve their lives with the help of supportive services, such as counseling, drug and alcohol treatment, housing assistance, and case management. When their birth parents successfully complete their reunification plans, they can welcome their children and teens back home. Over half of children and teens leaving foster care in Clark County reunite with their families or go to live with relatives. When this is unable to occur, the case plan goal shifts to establishing a permanent family for the child, teen, or siblings in need.
Chidren and teens enter foster care due to safety concerns, often resulting from neglect or abuse. While entering foster care is no fault of their own, children and teens in foster care need extra nurturing, patience, understanding, love, and support to help them heal from their trauma and being separated from their family. Like most kids, they also laugh, cry, play, help out, act silly, and have unique qualities that make them special. Many children and teens who are available for adoption through foster care may have special needs that require specialized care or therapeutic support, that we will help you to arrange.
Foster parents of special needs children have learned it can be a challenging yet rewarding life experience. Adoptive parents have discovered these children can learn to be part of a loving family and realize their unique potential. Parenting a child with “special needs” takes a level of commitment, understanding and patience. Additional important parenting characteristics include a willingness to try new parenting skills, accepting of child’s limitations, support network of friends/family, knowledge of community resources, unconditional love, sense of humor, flexibility, tolerance, and optimism.
Adoption provides these children and teens with a permanent family to call their own...forever!
Please keep in mind that most children and teens in foster care who are available for adoption are school age, ranging from 5-17 years old, many with brothers and sisters. It is important for children and teens to be adopted with their brothers and sisters. We ask that you please consider adopting sibling groups, to preserve their families, their built-in support system and allow them to grow up together.
Children thrive by having parents who lead by example. Adopted parents illustrate the habit of making positive choices, show their adopted child steps to meet their goals, stay motivated and learn how to handle situations of adversity. The impact that adoptive parents make helps children develop the skills and confidence that will support them throughout their life.
Being an adoptive parent to a child or teen in foster care is a lifelong commitment. It is a fulfilling responsibility with the power to change a child or teen’s future for the better. Adopt a child, a teen, or sibling group from foster care in Clark County, Nevada, and help them Find My Forever. Visit www.foreverhomewithyou.com to learn more.
Most families decide to foster before they adopt, and they become licensed foster caregivers.
However, as a foster caregiver, there is no guarantee that you will be able to adopt the children, teens, or sibling groups in your care. The goal of foster care is to return the child, teen or sibling group to their parents or relatives.
Fostering children before becoming an adoptive parent has many benefits.
As a licensed foster parent, you receive specialized training such as the effects of childhood trauma, trauma-informed parenting, grief, and loss, and working with the birth family. Our team at the Department of Family Services will support you every step of the way, as you prepare to welcome children and teens from foster care into your family.
Foster parents complete fingerprinting, background checks, and home inspections directly through the Department of Family Services, with few, if any, costs incurred.
You can be confident in your decision to grow your family and try parenting youth from any age range- from infants to teenagers.
Fostering first helps you determine a child’s or teen’s needs and be a better prepared advocate for support and adoption assistance programs.
Licensed foster parents receive a monthly reimbursement for each child or teen in their care, and the children/teens each receive Medicaid benefits.
As you foster, you are building a relationship with the Department of Family Services, making you a known candidate and adoptive resource for when a child or teen is deemed legally free” and available for adoption.
Foster parents receive monthly updates on the children, teens, and sibling groups who are legally free for adoption in Clark County.
To take the first step in becoming a foster parent, please register for an information session at www.clarkcountyfostercare.com.
Updates from the Proud Partners of Clark County Foster Care
It’s a season for giving! We are grateful for the community organizations and local businesses who are working together to ensure that our infants, children, and teens in foster care receive a special holiday gift this December through our GIVE JOY Holiday Toy & Gift Card Drive. It is our goal to provide all 3000+ kids in foster care a $50 value gift or gift card, and it truly warms our hearts to see so many partners who want to make the holiday special for our kids. If your organization, group, or business wants to join in the GIVE JOY Holiday Toy & Gift Card Drive, please call (702) 455-4791. You can also drop off toys at any of the AT&T stores across Southern Nevada, the Harley-Davidson stores in Henderson and Las Vegas, or by arranging your donation at Peggy’s Attic (702) 455-5424. If you prefer that our team take care of your shopping, please make a monetary donation at https://www.mightycause.com/story/Bv4tze