10 lies people believe about foster care

This post needs no introduction.  But in the SchoolHouse Rock’s spirit – “Knowledge Is Power!”

Lie #1.  The purpose of foster care is to provide permanent homes for children.

Fact:    The purpose of foster care is to provide a temporary home for children until their family can be stabilize.

Lie #2.  Only younger adults can be foster parents.

Fact:    Foster parents must be at least 21 years of age but there is no maximum age limit. Good physical, emotional, and mental health are required to become a foster parent.

Lie #3.  You must be married to be a foster parent.

Fact:    You can be married, single, divorced or separated.

Lie #4.  You must own your own home to be a foster parent.

Fact:    You may live in an apartment or rent a home. Your residence must pass a home inspection and have adequate bedroom space.

Lie #5.  Only families that are wealthy can be foster parents.

Fact:    You must be financially stable and able to meet your household expenses. You will receive a monthly subsidy check to help with the cost of caring for a foster child.

Lie #6.  Only urban areas need foster parents.

Fact:    All areas in Missouri need foster families willing and able to care for a child.

Lie #7.  Once you adopt through foster care the biological parent can take the child back.

Fact:    Once parental rights are terminated the parents have no further recourse for gaining custody of the child.

Lie #8.  Adopting a child from foster care is expensive.

Fact:    Adopting children from foster care can be virtually free.  Children who are in foster care and who are adopted from foster care receive free health insurance.  Foster parents receive a monthly payment to offset food, clothing, activities, etc. while the child is in foster care and at a slightly lower rate when the child is adopted into their home.

Lie #9.  All children in foster care have some kind of physical, mental, or emotional handicap; that’s why they are classified as “special needs”.

Fact:    The term “special needs” in the foster care system can mean that the child is older, a minority or requires placement with his/her siblings.

Lie #10.  Children in foster care have too much “baggage”.

Fact:    This is perhaps the biggest myth off all. Children in foster care- just like all children-have enormous potential to thrive given love, patience and a stable environment. Former U.S Senator Ben Campbell and Minnesota Viking Dante Culpepper were both foster children who were adopted by caring adults.

published 1/21/2015

Published by MarcyBursac

Marcy is an adoptive mom of a sibling pair. Adoption was her Plan A. While remote schooling her children during the pandemic, Marcy felt compassion for the remaining 120,000 U.S. children who are waiting in foster care to be adopted. Wanting to share that foster care adoption is the most affordable way to adopt with a financial cost of $0-$2,500, she wrote a book and started a podcast both called "The Forgotten Adoption Option" to find more forever families.

4 thoughts on “10 lies people believe about foster care

  1. Another thing to remember is once the child is adopted, their adoption is closed. If a child wants to learn more about their family they are usually given their case file at 18. I know i am worried about adopting from my circuit because of my husbands job but this made me feel a lot better about it.

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