Foster caring and adoption can both be incredible experiences. In both processes, you’re providing a child with a nurturing environment and an opportunity for a brighter future when they may have faced initial challenges in life.
At Anglicare Victoria, something we frequently get asked about is the difference between adoption and fostering. What exactly does each option entail, and which is the right choice for you?
Here, the team at Anglicare Victoria explain the differences and similarities between adoption and fostering, helping you make a more informed decision.
What is adoption?
Adoption is a process in which a family takes on all rights and responsibilities for a child’s care and parenting. The birth family has relinquished their parental rights and, commonly, their ties to the child.
The child is then recognised, for all intents and purposes, as if they were born into the adoptive family and has the exact same legal rights as any biological child of the parents.
Possibly the greatest difference is that adoption is always a permanent arrangement, whereas fostering is not.
What is fostering?
Foster care is non-permanent option in which individuals, couples or families look after children who aren’t able to live with their birth families, with the aim of reunifying the child to their birth family when it’s safe to do so.
Children in foster care can be any age from 0-18, and may have contact with their birth family during their foster experience. If this communication is feasible, then it’s highly encouraged.
Another difference between foster care and adoption is the fact that foster carers are supported by foster care agencies and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, while adoptive parents take on all responsibilities of the child: educational, legal, social, financial, etc.
Can fostering children lead to adoption?
Generally, fostering children does not lead to adoption. The main aim of foster care is to provide a temporary safe environment for children while their birth families resolve issues at home. Once it’s considered safe, foster children return to their birth homes.
In saying this, there are instances when fostering children can lead to adoption. If the Children’s Court rules that a child is unable to return to their birth family or other kin, then it may be possible for the foster parents to permanently adopt the child.
Benefits of becoming a foster carer
Both adoption and foster caring can be wonderful, rewarding experiences. While the two are very different processes and can’t really be compared to one another, there are certain benefits to becoming a foster carer.
- Flexible options for providing children with care
Foster caring is unlike adoption in the sense that it’s flexible. There are several different options for foster care: long-term, short-term, emergency care and respite care. Whether you have the capacity to care for a child for two years or just one weekend a month, you’re still able to help foster kids and give them a better quality of life.
- Make an impact to multiple children’s lives
As a foster carer, you have the opportunity to change many children’s lives. Making a positive impact on several children’s wellbeing is something that, many foster carers report, brings a huge sense of fulfilment.
- Support from external agencies
As a foster carer, you’ll be supported by your foster care agency like Anglicare Victoria, and will receive help from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, too. Case workers are available to guide you through your foster experience, and financial aid for raising foster kids is also available.
Contact your local agency today
If you’ve decided on helping the community in the biggest way possible, Anglicare Victoria can help you start the journey of foster care. Our mission is to empower and support children who’ve had a tough start to life by giving them safe, loving foster homes all over Victoria. If you’re interested in becoming a foster carer, contact our Carer Recruitment Team and enquire about applying today.
