Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Building families one home at a time

By Noelle Tedford

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- Adoption is a family affair! November marks National Adoption Month across our nation. Do you know anyone looking to bring an addition into their family? Whether it be regular or foster-care adoption, there is an overwhelming amount of children looking for a loving home.
            Tasia Tedford, a 28-year-old female, explains that adoption does not have to be a result of failed pregnacies. Tedford has been contemplating adoption for several years now and is often faced with the question, why adoption and not natural birth? It is simple, there are so many loving little children that are in need of a good home environment and for Tedford rescuing and possibly changing a child’s life is the most rewarding factor of all.
            After deciding to adopt the next step is to choose how you want to adopt. There are two types of adoption; traditional-adoptions and foster-adoptions. Almost always, traditional-adoption is much more expensive than foster-adoption. Generally, the main reason for this is that the child is less likely to have been exposed to abuse or neglect. Paul Rascoe explains, the regular-adoption process is a lot cleaner as well because the birth parents have waived their rights as legal guardian. Interestingly enough, adoption prices vary based on ethnicity. Rascoe, a case worker for Clinton County Child Protective Services, deals with a lot foster-adoptions and foster-children.
            Foster-children tend to have some adjustment problems as a result of neglect, abuse, or addiction. To be sure that people wishing to go through with a foster-adoption really know how much work not only a child, but a child with a violent or questionable past is Child Protective Services mandate that potential parents attend 10 week training course. In addition to the course they are given a thorough background check.
            “There is such a need for foster care that they make it more accommodating.” Tyler Wilson, the parent of two successful foster-adoptions explains, “The process is much cheaper than traditional-adoption, which can cost anywhere for, 20 thousand dollars to 40 thousand dollars.”
            Wilson experienced the heartache of foster-adoption when he cared for his first child, Elias, who was eventually given back to his legal guardian for good behavior. However, this did not deter him from trying again. Now Wilson and his wife are the proud parents of two brothers, Lance and Hudson. While Wilson eventually used foster-adoption to mold his family into the unit it was always meant to be, for some people the pain of losing a child you have become attached to is to much to bare.
            Holly Price is a mother of a successful traditional-adoption. Price originally looked into foster-adoption only to have the child she was fostering get reinstated to a former abusive father after good behavior was proved on his end. It took Price almost two years before she was ready to consider adoption again.
            “How could Child Protective Services give this man a second chance, then a third? Where is the line drawn?” Price says, “I want to believe these people are really changed but why did they have to take my boy out of a great home with me?”
            Price’s thoughts on the experience she had with foster-adoption is the exact reason traditional-adoption is the preferred method, if you can afford it. Once she had enough money she completed her adoption and added a new member to her family, this time forever.

            Adding a new member to your family is something that should not be thought lightly of. Children need constant attention and care. Child Protective Services does their best to prepare parents for what they have in store for themselves. However, even the best parents struggle sometimes. Adoption is about new beginnings for both you and the child. National Adoption Month broadens the horizon of family to outside the womb. Wherever you may be in your life right now, the time may come when you want to expand your family. When that day comes, don’t rule out adoption, in fact, think about it first.

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