Adoption and foster care are both a means to support children that are in need. Unfortunately, there are many children in Pennsylvania, the United States, and around the world that do not have strong family or monetary foundations. Despite the reason for needing help, these children are welcomed at Family Care for Children and Youth to join families that can care for the child as needed – financially and emotionally – whether through adoption or foster care.
The main differences between foster care and adoption in Pennsylvania have to do with parental rights rather than the children. In both foster care and adoption, the children are the primary focus. Here are a few differences between the two:
Parental Rights
Foster Care: The parental rights for major decisions belong to the birth parents (unless adoption is in the picture). This means foster parents are not able to make medical, educational, or religious decisions without consulting the birth parents. If the court has terminated birth parent rights, the agency that oversees the child and foster relationship makes these decisions.
Adoption: After adoption, the adoptive parents have full legal rights to make all decisions. Adoptive responsibilities are comparable to the responsibilities of giving birth to the child.
Permanency
Foster Care: Foster care is not permanent. It is a temporary situation to care for a child before returning home to a stable birth family or joining an adoptive family. Some foster care children are adopted by his or her foster care parents.
Adoption: Adoption is permanent. As an adoptive parent, you are responsible for the child as if it were biologically your own.
Family Care for Children and Youth takes traditional foster care one step further – specialized foster family care. Check out how we take it above and beyond in our next blog.
With experienced, compassionate and dedicated professionals, we'll work with you in order to find the best solutions. Whether you know a child in need of emergency services, or you are looking to provide a home for those in need, call us today!
The mission of Family Care for Children & Youth, Inc. is to be the best social service agency committed to providing an excellent standard of care and culturally competent services while communicating compassion, empathy, and hope for the future.
OUR HAPPY FAMILIES SAY IT ALL
Check out our success stories below
"THEY CARE ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND ARE VERY THOROUGH"
My husband and I always tell people that talk to us about wanting to foster or adopt about our agency. We enjoy working with this agency because the staff not only care about the careful placement of a child but also about us as a family. Our agency is available and quick to respond to us whether we have an emergency or just a question. They care about the children and are very thorough to ensure the children and the foster family are getting what they need.
Alice Cedrone
"WE ENJOY GIVING BACK"
Fostering is very positive experience not only for ourselves but also for the child’s well-being. We enjoy giving back. Providing a loving, nurturing home to a child gives the child an opportunity to have a normal childhood as possible.
Millie Flores
"WE WOULD RECOMMEND FCCY"
Picking FCCY to work with has been the best thing my husband and I could have done. We have had only positive experiences with this agency. The case managers are so good and give you total support as a foster parent. We would recommend FCCY to others looking into foster care.
P. Kyler