Since 1990, America has celebrated National Adoption Awareness Month in November. This annual event is a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of foster care children and loving families seeking to adopt. During November, organizations throughout North America sponsor activities and provide their constituents, local media and the general public with information encouraging more families to consider foster care adoption. Foster care is temporary care for children who are unable to live with their birth families.
Facts about foster care
€ Nearly 600,000 children are in foster care in the United States and Canada
€ 150,000 of these children are available for adoption and wait for permanent families in North America
€ Most of this country's roughly 135,000 adoptions each year are from foster care
€ More than 50 percent of these children are nine years of age or older
€ A child can wait for an adoptive family five years or more
€ 20 percent of the children available for adoption will turn 18 and leave the system without a family
Who are the children in care?
Children in foster care represent all ethnic groups and may be infants through teenagers.
Some children may have handicapping conditions, behavioral challenges, and need special care. When brothers and sisters come into care, we are required to place them together if at all possible.
Teenage mothers also need homes for themselves and their children. Children in foster care, like all children, need love, affection and guidance. In Cayuga County, there are approximately 86 children currently in foster care.
Who is a foster parent?
A foster parent is someone who can provide temporary care and love for children who are unable to live with their birth families. A foster parent should be someone who wants to make a difference in a child's life; is flexible and capable of handling stressful situations; can be a working or stay-at-home parent; can work as a member of a team with families, social workers and other professionals; can help prepare a child for return to their birth family or to be adopted; may become an adoptive parent.
Who can become a foster parent?
You can apply to become a foster parent if you are at least 21 years old; are married, single or living with a partner; have sufficient income to meet your own family's needs; are in good health; can make room in your home and heart for children who need safe, temporary care.
How can you become a foster parent?
Cayuga County's Social Services Homefinding and Adoption Unit offers orientation and training to interested people. The Foster/Adoption Homefinders will help you complete an application that includes a check of your personal references and current medical reports.
These workers also certify homes and coordinate placements. They will answer questions and assist you through every step of the process. In addition, ongoing training is provided, as well as 24-hour emergency services, financial and medical support to meet the needs of the child and foster parent support groups.
Foster parents as adoptive parents
Many foster parents eventually adopt their foster children. In fact, most children adopted in New York state through public agencies are adopted by their foster parents. When a child has been in a foster home for 12 months, first consideration must be given to the foster parents as possible adoptive parents if the child becomes available for adoption. Families interested in adoption may consider parenting a foster child who has a permanency goal of adoption. However, our primary goal is to reunite children with their birth or extended family if at all possible. For example, children who are free for adoption may be placed with relatives or may be moved to another adoptive home to be reunited with siblings.
A child is waiting
We would like to thank the many wonderful foster/adoptive families in Cayuga County.
We are still in need of foster parents to give special care and attention to children whose families are unable to care for them on a short-term or long-term basis. We especially need foster parents, throughout Cayuga County, who are experienced in caring for teenagers. To find out more about how to become a foster parent contact: Homefinder, Cayuga County Department of Social Services, 160 Genesee St., Auburn, NY 13021 or call 253-1375 or 253-1396.
Elane Daly is director of Health and Human Services for Cayuga County. She can be reached at
253-1560 or cchealth@dfa.state.ny.us
€ Nearly 600,000 children are in foster care in the United States and Canada
€ 150,000 of these children are available for adoption and wait for permanent families in North America
€ Most of this country's roughly 135,000 adoptions each year are from foster care
€ More than 50 percent of these children are nine years of age or older
€ A child can wait for an adoptive family five years or more
€ 20 percent of the children available for adoption will turn 18 and leave the system without a family
Who are the children in care?
Children in foster care represent all ethnic groups and may be infants through teenagers.
Some children may have handicapping conditions, behavioral challenges, and need special care. When brothers and sisters come into care, we are required to place them together if at all possible.
Teenage mothers also need homes for themselves and their children. Children in foster care, like all children, need love, affection and guidance. In Cayuga County, there are approximately 86 children currently in foster care.
Who is a foster parent?
A foster parent is someone who can provide temporary care and love for children who are unable to live with their birth families. A foster parent should be someone who wants to make a difference in a child's life; is flexible and capable of handling stressful situations; can be a working or stay-at-home parent; can work as a member of a team with families, social workers and other professionals; can help prepare a child for return to their birth family or to be adopted; may become an adoptive parent.
Who can become a foster parent?
You can apply to become a foster parent if you are at least 21 years old; are married, single or living with a partner; have sufficient income to meet your own family's needs; are in good health; can make room in your home and heart for children who need safe, temporary care.
How can you become a foster parent?
Cayuga County's Social Services Homefinding and Adoption Unit offers orientation and training to interested people. The Foster/Adoption Homefinders will help you complete an application that includes a check of your personal references and current medical reports.
These workers also certify homes and coordinate placements. They will answer questions and assist you through every step of the process. In addition, ongoing training is provided, as well as 24-hour emergency services, financial and medical support to meet the needs of the child and foster parent support groups.
Foster parents as adoptive parents
Many foster parents eventually adopt their foster children. In fact, most children adopted in New York state through public agencies are adopted by their foster parents. When a child has been in a foster home for 12 months, first consideration must be given to the foster parents as possible adoptive parents if the child becomes available for adoption. Families interested in adoption may consider parenting a foster child who has a permanency goal of adoption. However, our primary goal is to reunite children with their birth or extended family if at all possible. For example, children who are free for adoption may be placed with relatives or may be moved to another adoptive home to be reunited with siblings.
A child is waiting
We would like to thank the many wonderful foster/adoptive families in Cayuga County.
We are still in need of foster parents to give special care and attention to children whose families are unable to care for them on a short-term or long-term basis. We especially need foster parents, throughout Cayuga County, who are experienced in caring for teenagers. To find out more about how to become a foster parent contact: Homefinder, Cayuga County Department of Social Services, 160 Genesee St., Auburn, NY 13021 or call 253-1375 or 253-1396.
Elane Daly is director of Health and Human Services for Cayuga County. She can be reached at
253-1560 or cchealth@dfa.state.ny.us
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