Jasmine
Adopted
Crystal & Joseph
Adopted
Where Hope Finds a Home.
The perfect combination of sweet and sassy, Crystal loves to play dress up, delights in anything shiny and sparkly, but isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Resilient and determined, Crystal takes good care of her little brother at home and likes the challenge of math at school. Crystal also enjoys listening to the harp and wants to be a ballet teacher when she grows up. Crystal would also love to have a pet unicorn one day, but she'll settle for kittens as long as they're fluffy. A mini-tornado full of happy energy, Joe enjoys playing with toys that fly: planes, bats, helicopters and pterodactyls! Talkative and outgoing, Joe also loves coloring and helping around the house especially with organization. Joe is currently obsessed with the cartoon, PJ Masks, especially Catboy. He'd love to have Catboy's superpower, to cat jump and leap! Crystal and Joe are active children who enjoy being on the go. They love swimming, playing at the park, and riding bikes, but they'll all settle down to hear Bible stories; church has been a consistent and important part of their lives. Due to the needs of the children and the transition that will be required, we are only considering families who reside in Florida at this time. Crystal and Joseph have an older brother, Christopher, who is also available for adoption. The three children are extremely bonded and it is critical that they maintain frequent, meaningful contact with one another.
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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