Richland County Children Services needs parents interested in adopting children
November 1, 2012
By Nicole Foulks
Richland County Children Services
In a perfect world, every child would grow up safe, healthy and happy at home with his birth parents.
Sadly, no such world exists. In reality, some children are abused or neglected, thus creating a need for Kinship care, foster parents and adoption – all tools used today by Richland County Children Services to keep kids in a safe environment.
As the nation again marks National Adoption Month in November, it’s worth noting the success the local child protective service agency has experienced in working with local adoptive parents.
Let’s start by pointing out adoption is always the last option. The No. 1 goal is to keep children safe inside their own homes. If that is not possible, then the agency looks for adult relatives or significant others with whom the child (or children) already has an established relationship. If Kinship care is not an option, the agency will look for a foster home that meets the child’s needs.
The goal of one day reunifying the child with his birth parents is always at the top of the list. But when that is not possible, Richland County Children Services is pleased to work with the local juvenile court and many adoptive parents in this area to secure a permanent, safe environment for children.
Since 2002, Richland County Children Services has successfully processed the adoption of 192 local children, averaging more than 17 per year. The largest years were 2002 (36) and 2003 (39) as the agency shifted its child welfare focus by closing residential centers and group homes and working to keep children safely at home. In 2002, the agency had about 250 children in the agency’s custody. That number has averaged between 45 and 50 in the last several years.
In addition to identifying and helping to train these foster-to-adopt parents, the agency has also financially supported these parents after they adopt their children. Since 2002, Richland County Children Services has paid adoptive parents almost $2.7 million, averaging about $245,000 annually. That is in addition to federal and state adoption subsidies.
RCCS has proven the value it places on adoption, earning a national Adoption Excellence Award for work done during 2006 to reduce the length of the time children in foster care wait for adoption.
In the first half of 2000, the mean length of stay for a child in foster care in Richland County prior to an adoption being finalized was 864 days. Over the following five years, the agency decreased this stay 19 percent, trimming 168 days off the average wait.
The need for foster-to-adopt parents in Richland County remains as strong as ever, especially those families willing to accept school age children or sibling groups. Though RCCS currently has no children waiting for an identified adoptive home, it is essential to have interested and loving parents trained and ready to accept children as needed.
If you wonder if you have what it takes to become an adoptive parent, the answer is very likely a resounding “yes!” To become a foster-to-adopt parent, you need to be at least 21 years old. You may be married or single, a homeowner or a renter. The only financial requirement is that you have enough income to support yourself and your family aside from the money you are paid to care for foster and/or adoptive children. Add those qualifications to a love for children and you are ready to begin the free training sessions to become a foster-to-adopt parent.
To learn more about the Richland County Children Services foster-to-adopt program, please call the agency at 419-774-4100 or visit the agency Web site at www.richlandcountychildrenservices.org.
(Nicole Foulks is the interim placement program supervisor for Richland County Children Services.)
