Isaiah
Adopted
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Darrak
9 years old
Adopted
Little guy with a big heart- meet Darrak!
Darrak is described as very sweet, loving, kind, and athletic. His favorite sport is basketball, and he hopes to find a family that is active, outgoing, and sporty to dribble up and down the court with him. Darrak loves to go to church, study the bible, and is even a junior usher at his local church. He has excellent manners and even likes to line up all his shoes in his room to keep them clean and organized. Darrak’s favorite food is steak (but only if it's medium well!) with a side of broccoli. His favorite movie is Space Jam and he would love to go see a basketball game in person with his future family. Darrak is a very loving and affectionate little boy and wishes to be in a home with other siblings (older siblings preferred) to play nonstop and have a built in best friend. Darrak is a boy of few words, and it will take a family that is patient and caring to allow him to open up at his own pace. Darrak needs a family that will advocate for him in the school setting, as this can be a challenging area for him. Darrak’s ideal family makeup would consist of a mother and father, siblings, and cats (or any animal). A family that is local to the Hillsborough or Pinellas County would be preferred.
FAQs
If a child in foster care is in the Heart Gallery, reunification with their biological family was not possible so an adoptive family is needed. Most Heart Gallery children are at least 9 years old, part of a sibling group, and/or have special needs. All children in foster care have experienced abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect; therefore, need support to heal from the trauma they have experienced.
All children are different, with a variety of unique strengths and needs so all types of families are needed. In Florida, you must be at least 21 to adopt a child from foster care. There are no restrictions based on age, race, marital status, or sexual orientation. You may live in a home or apartment that you own or rent. Adoptive parents must have a stable income sufficient to support their family.
In Florida, there is no cost to adopt a child from foster care. In fact, families who adopt may qualify for a monthly adoption subsidy. Health care for children adopted from foster care is covered by Medicaid until age 18. They also receive free tuition at any Florida state college, university, or vocational school.Federal tax credits and exemptions may also be available. Visit the IRS website to learn more.
Prospective adoptive parents must complete Adoption Orientation, a 36-hour Professional Parenting course, have an approved home study, and approved background screenings. Most importantly, you must be willing to make a lifelong commitment to a child in need.
Yes. One of the benefits of adopting from Florida is having access to a comprehensive case history. You will be given information on the child’s background, medical history, and personality. This information helps you determine if your family is the right fit for the child.
This can vary greatly depending on the situation. However, as a general rule, it usually takes about 12 months from the time a family begins training to the time when a child is placed with the family.
Yes! Your approved home study should be accepted by any child welfare agency. Each circumstance will be assessed to determine if it is appropriate for a child to move out of state. Keep in mind these adoptions can be more complex and take longer, depending on the case.
Adoptions appear to be more stable when parents have flexible and realistic expectations for their children and when they use post-adoption supports to help with challenges.
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