Teegan
Adopted
Rachel & Joseph
Rachel, 18 years oldJoseph, 16 years old
Adopted
Rachel is a creative, smart and beautiful 17 year old girl. When she is not playing volleyball (her favorite sport), she is teaching herself how to play guitar. She loves music, including singing! Rachel is a lover of all things Christianity and enjoys reading the bible and learning more about her religion. Rachel’s favorite day would be spent at Olive Garden or Cheesecake factory, eating children alfredo, her favorite food. Joseph is a sweet and funny kid. He loves basketball and has dreams of playing in the NBA one day. He has a great sense of humor and loves to joke and have a good time. Joseph loves setting goals for himself and his goals for this year include perfecting his basketball skills. Joseph describes himself as a people person and is always very helpful to anyone around him. Rachel and her brother Joseph are two peas in a pod and have such an incredible sibling bond. They are eager to find a family that will help teach them all the life skills they will need to transition them to adulthood. They want a family that is patient, kind, attends church and will allow them to participate in all the extracurricular activities that they can find.
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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