If you’re exploring your adoption options, you may have come across the idea of fostering to adopt. At St. Elizabeth Foundation, we believe it’s essential for every couple to understand the various ways they can grow their family through adoption. Whether you’re wondering if you can foster to adopt in Louisiana or are seeking a more direct path to adopting a newborn, we’re here to help you make an informed choice. Let us walk you through what it means to foster to adopt a baby, the challenges and rewards of this path, and how St. Elizabeth Foundation can support families looking to adopt a baby.
What Does It Mean to Foster to Adopt in Louisiana?
Fostering to adopt means temporarily caring for a child, with the hope of eventually adopting them. For foster care placements, the main goal is reuniting the child with their biological family. However, when this isn’t possible and the parents have given up parental rights, the child may become eligible for adoption through their foster family. If biological parents decide against reunification and legally give up their rights to parent their baby, your adoption process can then take anywhere from six to 18 months to complete.
Louisiana Foster-to-Adopt Requirements
Whether you are single, married, divorced, or widowed, you must meet these requirements to be eligible to foster to adopt in Louisiana:
- You must have plenty of comfortable bedroom space. This may be shared with other children of the same gender, but not with adults.
- You must pass a safety inspection to prove your home is safe and equipped with working smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher.
- You must have no more than five children under 18 years old, including both foster and biological children.
- You must have no contagious diseases (or prove you are receiving treatment) and be emotionally stable enough to foster.
- You must have no valid child protection cases or certain criminal convictions, as shown through a background check.
- You must show you can meet your family’s financial needs. Proof of income will be reviewed during the application process.
Is a Foster-to-Adopt Placement Right for You?
Remember — the goal of fostering is ultimately reuniting the baby with their biological family. This arrangement may work well for your family if you are open to adoption but support reunification. However, it is not guaranteed that the baby will become part of your family.
If adoption is your primary goal, private adoption is the more direct, predictable path. St. Elizabeth Foundation can help you with this process.
How to Adopt a Baby With St. Elizabeth Foundation
If you’re ready to grow your family through adoption, our agency is here to make the process as smooth as possible. Here’s what the process looks like:
- Apply: Complete an application with details about your family and preferences.
- Complete a Home Study & Education: A comprehensive home study and education program is required to confirm you’re ready to adopt.
- Matching Process: Birth mothers go through your family profile and decide if you are the right fit for her baby.
- Placement and Support: Once placed, the baby must be in your home for six months before legal finalization. We’ll walk you through this process.
From your initial application to placement, our team will guide you through paperwork, questions, and any issues as they come up.
Are You Ready to Grow Your Family?
Whether you are interested in private adoption or choose to foster to adopt in Louisiana, both provide opportunities to grow your family while giving a child the love they deserve. Deciding on the best path comes down to your goals and readiness for the process.
If you’re ready to adopt or have more questions about the process, St. Elizabeth Foundation is here to help. We’ve guided countless families in Louisiana through the adoption process, and we’d love to do the same for you.
Call us at 225-769-8888 or message us online to start your adoption story today.