Children

click here for a PDF version of this page

Adoption

When circumstances are such that a child cannot or should not be returned to his or her parents, the law allows a juvenile court to grant permanent custody to a public children’s services agency such as Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services (HCJFS). The agency will then pursue an adoptive placement for the child.

Children’s Services, a division of HCJFS, recruits and prepares adoptive parents, pairs them with children, and provides services that help them raise their new family members. This fact sheet has been prepared to answer many of your questions about adoption.

For more information about becoming an adoptive parent,

visit www.hcadopt.org or call (513) 632-6366.

Who are the children waiting to be adopted?

Children in the permanent custody of HCJFS may come into the agency’s care under many circumstances, but all share a need for stability. Many have lived turbulent lives in homes where drug abuse, domestic violence and/or mental health troubles put them at high risk of abuse and neglect. Many may have lived in several foster care homes, or perhaps they had been placed with relatives. Some may also have experienced failed attempts at reunification with their parents.

What is the need for adoptive parents?

Children’s Services always needs adoptive parents, especially those willing to take older children and siblings. Most children available for adoption range in age from 7 to 16 years.

How can I find out about the children available for adoption?

After HCJFS gains custody of a child his or her availability is publicized statewide via the Ohio Adoption Photo Listing, maintained by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS).

ODJFS also keeps a list of all families approved for adoption and distributes it to public and private adoption networks.

In addition to the adoption photo listing, HCJFS also lists children available for adoption online at www.hcadopt.org and on DVD. You can obtain a copy of the DVD by calling (513) 632-6366.

How can I become an adoptive parent?

A potential adoptive parent must undergo physical exams, credit reviews and police checks. Children’s Services also obtains information from references and employers. Drug screening or psychological testing may also be required.

In addition, Children’s Services conducts a home study to determine if people have the skills to become parents to children coming from the public child protection system. This involves several interviews in the home with the prospective parents, children and other household members. Interviewers will delve into backgrounds and look at how the potential adoptive parents deal with crises and, if married, spousal conflicts.

Potential adoptive parents must also attend 33 hours of training on a variety of topics including:

·   Understanding the adoption process and child protection system

·   Parenting children with special needs, and

·   Helping children deal with separation from natural parents.

Can foster parents adopt?

Yes. In fact, 70 percent of public adoptions in Hamilton County originated as foster care placements. Some adoptive parents become foster parents with the intent to adopt if the child becomes available for adoption in the future, or foster parents simply become attached to the children in their care. Relatives may also adopt children.

How are children matched with prospective adoptive parents?

Once a family is approved for adoption, the family is considered for matching. A match committee, consisting of various adoption professionals from caseworkers to private agency representatives to a monitor for adoptions law, matches children with potential adoptive parents. Committee members assess the child’s needs and the interests and preferences of the adoptive families and match the child with the family that best meets the child’s needs. All adoption matches must be approved by the Hamilton County Juvenile Court.

How are children placed with an adoptive family?

Once a match is made, the caseworker presents information about the child to the adoptive family. Initially, adoptive parents usually meet the child during a visit at the child’s foster home. Depending on the child’s age and needs, additional visits are arranged, including overnights at the adoptive home, and – if all goes well – the child moves into his or her new home.

When is an adoption “final”?

After the child moves from a foster home into an adoptive home, the adoption worker visits at least monthly to ensure that the placement is going smoothly. The child must have lived with the adoptive family for at least 6 months before the agency can file the finalization papers with Probate Court. The finalization hearing usually occurs within 30 days of filing and is conducted by a magistrate who grants the final order of adoption. The Ohio Department of Health then issues a new birth certificate.

Is support available before and after an adoption is finalized?

Yes. A variety of training and support groups are available including:

·   An adjustment group (six sessions) for newly adopted children and their families.

·   A monthly support group for adoptive families, and

·   A readiness group for children from ages 6 to 12 years old preparing to be adopted.

Experts meet with each group and talk about various topics, such as separation and loss. Adoptees and adoptive families also share experiences they’ve had during these sessions.

Can children find out about their natural parents when they get older?

Children’s Services provides non-identifying information on birth parents and siblings to adoptees when they become adults. The agency also answers inquiries from birth parents. If the adoption took place before 1964, the law allows Children’s Services to identify birth parents and their children to each other.