How Long Does It Take To Adopt a Foster Child?

So you and every member of your family are onboard with the life-changing decision to foster a child. You have completed foster parent training and the Home Study, and now have earned approval from the state of Virginia to welcome a child into your care. Finally, it's time for your first foster care placement.

You're taking one step at a time, but are open to the possibility of adopting children in foster care. The natural next question is how long it takes to foster and adopt foster children in Virginia?

The answer depends on several factors. These include your flexibility, preferences, and the needs of Virginia kids. For foster-to-adopt, it also includes the children who are eligible and waiting for adoptive families. International adoptions will also change timing and cost factors.

While every parenting journey is unique, here's what you need to know about the foster care and adoption timeline.

How Long Before I Receive My First Foster Placement?

Let's begin with the assumption that the child welfare system has approved you to provide a foster home to a child in need. The time it takes to receive your first foster child placement varies based on a few key factors. The age range you accept, the number of children you want to foster, and your fostering preferences will all affect your timeline.

The more open you are to different ages and sibling groups, the sooner you’re likely to welcome a child. Some foster parents get a call within days, while others may wait several months. Children enter foster care in Virginia every day but we never have enough foster or adoptive families.

Even after receiving a call from a social worker or child advocate, not every child will be the right fit for your family or lifestyle needs. For example, your child-placing agency partner may contact you about a sibling set when your preference is to care for one child. Support services work hard to ensure your child is a match among your family members and foster or adoption goals. Foster care placement status can also change quickly, and patience is key.

Waiting can be challenging, so staying positive and patient are important. Learning other successful foster and adoptive family stories can keep you encouraged and focused on your goal.

How Long Will a Foster Child Stay in My Home?

For parents who wish to foster without plans to adopt, the answer will be different than for foster-to-adopt parents.

The length of time a child not eligible for adoption stays in foster care depends on their specific circumstances. When children have a case goal to reunite with their families, they are not [yet] eligible for adoption. Some of these children may need to stay with a foster family for a day, weeks, months, or even years. However, in some cases, reunification isn't an option, and children become eligible for adoption.

Foster-to-adoption is a path for people who become foster parents specifically to adopt a child. These families will foster a child who cannot return to their birth family and is already eligible for adoption. After they foster for six months they may proceed with finalizing their adoption.

On average, a child remains in foster care for about 13 months before achieving a permanent home solution. Whenever possible, the foster system tries to safely return a child to their birth parents (known as "reunification." Another option is to remain with a relative through Kinship care. In cases of foster care to adoption, children who are eligible may find their forever family and adoptive home.

Not every child who becomes eligible for adoption chooses this path. At times, older kids may choose emancipation. Many other kids who are eligible age out of foster care without an adoptive family. Foster youth transitioning alone into young adulthood face significant hardships when they age out of the foster care system.

The most recent reporting from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) shows near 110,000 children in the United States foster care are waiting for adoption. in Virginia, about 1,700 of over 5,000 kids in foster care await their forever families.

As a Foster-to-Adopt Family, How Long Until I Can Adopt?

If a child in your care becomes eligible for adoption, the process can take anywhere from 9 to 18 months, depending on several factors, including:

Legal considerations – The child’s birth parents must have their parental rights legally terminated before an adoption can proceed. This process varies by state and can take time.

Foster-to-adopt licensing – Many states, including Virginia, require foster parents to be dual-licensed for both fostering and adoption. If you aren’t already dual-licensed, completing the requirements may add time to the process.

Matching and approval – If you’re looking to adopt a child you haven’t fostered first, you’ll need to go through the matching and approval process with an adoption agency. The timeline for this varies based on your preferences and the availability of children waiting for adoption.

Many foster parents choose to adopt the child in their care, including many who did not plan to adopt at the outset. In fact, the majority of children adopted from foster care are adopted by their foster families.

Ready to Adopt a Foster Child?

If you're interested in foster care to adoption, we're here to help. Reach out to an advocate at AdoptionVA to learn more about the process, timelines, and next steps. Wherever you are in your foster care or adoption journey, we can answer your questions and guide you through the next step or consideration.

Together, we can help you navigate the path to adoption and find the child who awaits your forever family.