Blog post: fostering to adopt in Ohio

Everything You Wanted to Know About Fostering to Adopt in Ohio

  • November 2nd, 2023
  • By Pathway Caring for Children

Fostering-to-adopt is a rewarding way to provide stable and loving homes for children in need. In Ohio, the fostering-to-adopt process follows certain guidelines and regulations to ensure the well-being of both the children and the prospective families.

Pathway offers dual licensure, which means that when you are licensed as a foster caregiver, you are approved for adoption as well. You can foster-to-adopt, which means you accept a child as a foster placement with the plan of adopting the child at a later time.

  1. Eligibility Criteria: Prospective foster parents in Ohio must meet specific requirements, including being at least 21 years old, passing background checks, completing required training, and demonstrating the ability to provide a stable and nurturing environment.
  2. Licensing and Training: Applicants are required to complete pre-service training that covers topics such as child development, trauma-informed care, and the foster care system’s dynamics. Licensing involves home inspections, interviews, and assessments to ensure that the home environment is safe and suitable for a child.
  3. Matching Process: Once licensed, prospective parents are matched with children based on their preferences and the child’s needs. Pathway staff work to find the most suitable match for both the child and the family.
  4. Legal Process: Foster parents have the opportunity to pursue adoption if the child becomes eligible for adoption. This process involves legal procedures, including termination of parental rights, adoption hearings, and finalization, all of which are facilitated by the court system.
  5. Support Services: Pathway also offers ongoing post-adoption support services, which help both families and adopted children to understand the special problems and issues specific to adoption. These services are available to all families and are designed to give the kind of support needed to help the family maintain its commitment to be a “forever” family. Pathway offers a holistic approach that looks at the whole child and family. Services for ALL adoptive, kinship, and foster families to form lasting connections include:

The first step to becoming a foster-to-adopt parent is to contact our Recruitment Department. We are here to answer ALL your questions! Call 330-818-0444 or email shenry@pathwaycfc.org TODAY!

To become a Pathway foster or foster-to-adopt parent, you must also meet these general requirements and qualifications: https://www.pathwaycfc.org/foster-care/foster-care-requirements/