Serenity & Alayah
Adopted
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Grace & Hannah
Adopted
Where Hope Finds a Home.
Friendly and compassionate, these animal-loving siblings, Grace and Hannah, look forward to a forever home filled with warmth and love. Both girls are social and outgoing, enjoying people, pets and helping others. Grace hopes to be a veterinarian when she grows up, and Hannah also loves to be with animals. Both girls are complimented as "nurturing" and "caring" by others. In school, Hannah has made great strides in reading this year and loves "color and paint and play" the most. Grace too loves art, and both girls are imaginative and creative. Grace also enjoys math at school, and her favorite book this year was Barbara O'Connor's Wish. Grace writes her own songs and loves singing. Hannah is proud of her pierced ears and her "pretty new eyeglasses". Both are described as "nice" and "kind" by their friends, yet each girl shows resilience and grit. Hannah wants to be a police officer when she grows up, and Grace reveals thoughtful compassion to those less fortunate. Whether relaxing at the beach or having fun with friends and family, these fun, sweet siblings are engaged with life and others. Grace and Hannah hope for a stable, loving environment where they can be raised together.
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.
Your Gift: Hope, Love, & Transformation
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