International Christian Adoptions

Deciding whether to open your home to foster children can be daunting, but if you are considering it—and we definitely think you should!—we can help you make the best decision for your family.

Keep in mind the basics of foster care: Children in need require the attention of a nurturing adult who is willing to invest in their life. Stable, loving relationships are how we improve the trajectory of young lives.

Part of the process includes wrapping around a birth family and advocating for reunification. It is essential for foster families to have compassion for the birth parents and be willing to work with them to do what is known as Shared Parenting.

Learn

The process begins by attending a no-cost, no-obligation informational meeting with ICA’s dedicated staff. During this virtual meeting, we will discuss our organization’s culture, programs and process—all of the facts you need to begin an honest evaluation of whether foster care is right for you.

Healing and helping youths to reach their full potential is at the heart of what we do—and it only happens when a committed adult gives of their time and energy, sacrifices made out of love for another.

Pray & Discuss

Even for those who are a good fit, there are many things to consider. We don’t advise potential foster families to rush into a decision; instead, take the time to pray, reflect and discuss with anyone who knows you well enough to provide helpful feedback.

There is no way around the hard truth that there is uncertainty and loss involved in being a foster parent. You can’t predict the outcomes of any given case, nor the challenges you might face with the children in your care.  

Engaging in dialogue with ICA staff will also help you clarify expectations and motivations. It’s OK if you don’t know what questions to ask—just reach out. We’re here when you need to talk.

Bringing a youth into the home is not for everyone—but everyone can play a part. If you decide that the timing is not right or you are otherwise not able to begin fostering, please contact us to learn more about how you can still be involved in this valuable work.

Assess

Ultimately, you are the one who has to know whether fostering is right for you.

Take the time to evaluate your talents, gifts, and interests. Successful fostering requires a strong person with a character of patience, flexibility, fortitude—and a sense of humor. Another attribute we talk about a lot is perseverance—the quality of having GRIT! 

If you have biological children in the home, it’s especially important during this step of the process to spend plenty of time discussing the idea with them, learning about any of their hopes and reservations, and establishing healthy communication. Foster siblings also play immensely important roles in the lives of foster youth.

Prepare

Once you’re committed to fostering, there are many ways to prepare yourself and your family. The one thing you shouldn’t do is sit back and wait passively for your foster youth to arrive.

Acknowledge that the need is real. Get informed. Realize and own the tragedy of teenagers aging out of the system without a family. Look up and share the statistics. Research the particular needs in your own backyard.

And, by all means, start spreading your enthusiasm with those who know and love your family, and who will also become a part of your foster child’s life by proximity.

Take the Next Step

There is no pressure to commit. We want you to be absolutely confident in your decision, based on a thorough understanding of what to expect. At ICA, we always say that we want families to go into fostering with eyes wide open!

In addition, the process itself will lead to a mutual assessment of whether you are a good candidate to provide foster care.

Get in touch today to schedule your no-cost, no-obligation introduction to fostering with ICA. We can’t wait to meet you!