Dear AdoptUsKids Family,

Thank you for having an interest in our waiting children. My name is Alexandria White, and I work with the Adoption Exchange, which is collaborating with AdoptUsKids and the Department of Social Services to assist you.

In addition to Iowa KidsNet, I am your Recruitment Response Team. I will be following up with you throughout your homestudy process. I will be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have on foster/adoption related issues.

The adoption and/or foster care process may take some time, but the rewards are well worth the effort. You will find there are many resources available to you, and I recommend you become involved in as many ways with the foster/adopt community as you feel comfortable.

I want to be sure that you are receiving the necessary information and assistance for a successful foster care and/or adoption experience. If you have any concerns during this process, please feel free to contact me in whatever manner is convenient for you.

Sincerely,

Alex White

Contact Information

Iowa KidsNet

1-800-243-0756

customerservice@iowakidsnet.com

Para Información En Español, Contacte:

Mili Cook

1-800-243-0756

mcook@fouroaks.org

Licensing Requirements for Foster or Adoption

The requirements to foster are the same as the requirements to adopt.

To foster or adopt, you need to:

• Be at least 21 years old. (There is no maximum age for a parent as long as you are physically and mentally stable.)
• You don’t have to be married.
• If you are married, you must have been married for a year before beginning the foster or adoptive process.
• You can rent or own where you live.
• You don’t have to live in a house.
• You don’t need parenting experience.
• If you do have children in your home, you cannot have more than six children total in your home, including children who were born to you, children who you are fostering, children who you have adopted and any other children you are parenting at this time.

Fostering is providing temporary care to a child while social workers work with the child’s birth family to see how to improve the situation so that the child can return to their birth family. In many cases, fostering is temporary. However, if a child cannot return to their birth family, they will become legally free for adoption. Then, you can decide if you are interested in adopting the child that you have been fostering.

Adoption is when a child joins your family permanently.

Does it Cost to Foster or Adopt?

No.

Parent Support Groups

Families licensed in the state of Iowa are assigned a support worker, available 24/7, upon the placement of a child. That support worker is connected to the family as long as the family stays licensed.

Additional support, training and resources are provided by the Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parent Association: www.ifapa.org. To locate a support group in your area, visit: www.ifapa.org/resources/locator.asp

Agency Contact and Orientation Information

Orientation sessions are conducted every month in each of the eight Iowa service areas. Contact Customer Service at 1-800-243-0756 for information on a session near you.

To find an agency, please contact Iowa KidsNet at 1-800-243-0756.

Information on Children

There are 6,794 children in foster care in Iowa; 1,265 of these children are waiting for adoptive families.