Serenity & Alayah
Adopted
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Francis
14 years old
Adopted
Where hope finds a home.
Playful, caring and loving: meet Francis. He's friendly and outgoing and in love with the world. As Francis admits, "I love myself and others." His favorite subjects in school are reading and science, so it's no surprise he's a creative kid, eager to fall into the pages of a book, (disaster books are a current favorite). Francis is fascinated by nature, and recently enjoys going outside during storms to record his own "documentary" videos. He is also concerned about our planet and wishes he could eliminate "all the pollution on the Earth." His caregivers compliment Francis's initiative and responsibility as he completes his chores on his own and frequently helps others. Affectionate and loving, Francis dreams of a forever family, "a mom and dad who like to have fun, play and maybe travel. I want them to love me no matter what and know that I will love them back." At home, Francis enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, too, and this year learned how to cook garlic knots and make an apple crumble shake. Francis admits he doesn't know yet what he wants to be when he grows up, but he loves the creative process of recording and editing videos. A perfect day for Francis would be "playing games all day and lots of snacks!"
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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