Today's chat is
completed. Thank you for your interest in adoption and
foster care!
Question: Will you be taking your "show" on the road
in 2009, getting into the community to make people aware
of the need for adoptive and foster parents -- and
encouraging interested people to step forward.
Answer: YES. In addition to our usual visits to some
major community functions like Kidsfest and Juneteenth,
we also will be reaching out to various community
groups, schools, businesses, and faith-based
organizations. Look for our schedule to be post on
www.hcadopt.org and
www.hcfoster.org
in coming months. You can call us any time for more
information at 632-6366.
Question: Do you have any convenient ways that I
could talk face-to-face with someone about adoption and
foster care, maybe after the work day?
Answer: We do have monthly information sessions
scheduled throughout the year. These aren't classes, per
se, but just an informal time for questions and answers
about the process of becoming foster and adoptive
parents. Our next one is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 12,
at 6 p.m. at 237 William Howard Taft Road, 45219. You
can call to schedule, 632-6366.
Question: What if you were an adoptive or foster kid
in your youth? Would that help, or hurt?
Answer: It could actually help. Your perspective as
a foster child can give another younger child hope for
his or her future. And you can probably offer some
unique perspective to new foster and adoptive parents
coming through classes with your story.
Question: Do you have to have experience as a
parent?
Answer: No. It doesn't hurt that you have had
experience with children in some way, whether as a coach
of a team, Big Brother/Big Sister, Sunday school
teacher, even babysitting. You'll learn in our classes
about strategies and coping mechanisms to help children
and you'll have lots of support from current foster and
adoptive families, too.
Question: Is it possible for someone with 2-3 kids
of their own and a busy life to adopt or foster? How do
they find the time?
Answer: Yes. We've got lots of families on busy
schedules just like a lot of others. For them, their
priority is their children -- and the foster children
that are placed with them. So, like any other family,
they make whatever time they need to meet their
commitments to their children. Every family does that in
some way. And that's the kind of foster and adoptive
parent that many of our kids really need.
Question: How many foster parents are needed in
Hamilton County?
Answer: As many as we can get. Right now, there
are about 700 Hamilton County kids in foster care. Some
have had to be placed as far away as Cleveland and the
northern parts of the state simply because there aren't
homes here to take them. We really need people who want
to serve their community and help children and families
through difficult times. We know there are a lot of
people like that out there. We are just trying to reach
them. We ask anyone reading this to share the 636-6366
phone number and the
www.hcadopt.org and
www.hcfoster.org
Web sites for more information.
Question: When do classes start?
Answer: They've already started for the New Year.
First orientation of the year is tonight, 6-9 p.m. If
you want to register, just give us a call at 632-6366.
The schedule is also posted on our Web sites.
Question: How many kids are available for adoption
in Hamilton County?
Answer: Right now, there are just less than 200.
They range from around 1 year old up to 18. All of them
have come to us due to some form of abuse or neglect. So
they might have several issues they will need help
dealing with. But there is a lot of support to help you
get them through the challenges and grow to become much
stronger people. You'll learn something about yourself,
too, in all likelihood. :D
10:16:58 AM [JB]
My four children ages 12-10 have not seen their
biological father (my ex husband) since June 2007 and
the courts took away his visiting rights in September
2007. Can I petition the courts to have my husband
(their step father) adopt the children?
10:17:53 AM
[John Cummings] Yes.
You'll have to contact perhaps Legal Aid or a private
attorney to help you with that. We don't deal with those
types of cases here, but Legal Aid is a great resource.
Until we get further questions, we'll answer some
questions that we hear often from people exploring
foster care and adoption.
Question:
Do you have any examples of people who have been foster
parents and how this has changed their lives for the
better?
Answer: Sure. Lots of them. Click on this link
for a story about Elizabeth Evans, a wonderful foster
parent.
http://www.hcjfs.hamilton-co.org/Update_Newsletter/2009html/January/UpdateArticle3_0901.htm
Question:
How long does it take to finish the process and get
a child placed in your home?
Answer: The placement part is harder to answer.
It depends on the characteristics you are willing to
accept. The more stringent you are, the longer it may
take for a placement. As far as the process itself,
pre-service classes usually take about five weeks to
complete. And the homestudy can be done within six
months, many times less than that.
10:06:21 AM [Larry Kelly] I'm on the phone
now!
10:06:49 AM
[John Cummings] Great!
You'll talk with Nicci. She's really nice and helpful!
10:03:50 AM
[Larry Kelly] Hello John, my wife and I have taken
foster care classes offered by Hamilton County, but our
schedule has been so busy we (could) not finish the
whole program within a year.
10:05:07 AM
[John Cummings]
Depending on when your classes have been completed, you
may only have to retake a few. Classes are good for 18
months. You can check with the Assessment Unit to see
which classes may be needed to finish. Call 946-2130.
10:00:56 AM
[Larry Kelly] My wife and I want to adopt a girl age
8 or 9 this year! How and where do I start? Please have
someone call me at xxx.
10:02:02 AM
[John Cummings] Thank
you! Or you can give us a quick call at 632-6366. We'd
love to help you get started with initial information
about classes and the homestudy process.
If you encounter technical problems, please e-mail us at
boehmm@jfs.hamilton-co.org.
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