Has anyone adopted an older child?

[Princess Purr]

Hi, me again, I'm still trying to figure out domestic adoption! I was just wondering if anyone has adopted a child 1 year or older and if you could tell me alittle bit about the process. I have done extensive reading about bonding, and emontional issue, it is just the process of finding and adopting the child that I'm not understanding. Like if the parental rights were already terminated then they can't come back for the child right?

[CJD]

Hi Val,

We adopted Chela at 18mos. Our social worker found her and asked if we would be interested. We haad just had an infant adoption fall through. There are alot of waiting children in foster care, and once you are homestudy ready you are able to submit your homestudy for consideration. We went through the State of California Adoptions and have worked with three of the most wonderful Social Workers ever. Chelas parental rights had been already terminated.

Devin was also placed as foster child, at 4 weeks old. He has been with us for 19months and is now an adoptive placement. He PRT in Nov.2004.

Jenna , Chelas younger sister has been with us for a year. She was PRT last spring and is also an adoptive placement.

If you do Foster/Adopt you can specify only children ready for adoption. We were told we could wait up to 7 years for placement of infant to 2yrs. In realality there are so many waiting children they will start calling you right away.

You might want to post this question on the Foster/Adopt board too, Those ladies might have some insight in to what it is like in other states.

The best to you,

Patty

[Pebbles]

My DDs came home at 23months and 10 months. We had a wonderful experience and they are both completely bonded. We do have "issues" with my older dd but they are more about her treatment pre adoption then bonding. They are both very affectionate and loving. They both will tell you in a heartbeat who thier mommy and daddy is. If you have any ?s you would like to ask feel free to PM me.

[Princess Purr]

Thank you guys!! I feel better knowing it is possible!

[leilani]

We are in the process of adopting 2 "older" children. They are brothers who are being raised by their grandparents. Dominic is going to be 3 on Feb. 4 and Anthony will be 2 on March 4.

The grandparents contacted our attorney about adopting out the children and our attorney contacted us because he thought we'd be perfect for this situation.

At the moment we are spending as much time with them as possible so we all get used to each other. They seemed to warm up to yus rather quickly, but they have no idea what is going on.

Our attorney is going to start the legal stuff now - terminating the parental rights of BM (heroin addict) and BF (drug-dealer).

Good luck in whatever you end up doing.

[SaraBB]

I adopted two "older children". My son was four and daughter 8 months. We did go through some rough times with our son. I took about two months for him to start bonding with us. It has been almost two years since they became part of our family, now they are two well adjusted "normal kids". I also adopted a dd at birth, comparing all of thier bonding, we cannot see a difference. We are one happy family.
The first adoption I wanted a infant. But the second time, I looked for a child who needed a mother as bad as I needed a child.
Good luck!

[Patience]

I received my children through foster care and when they came to us they were 25 months and 6 months and things went smoothly.. Havent had much trouble with bethany the older one.. she has some hesitations sometimes but I still think she is healing from her past..