Get Started

Learn how to start your foster care adoption journey. We encourage you to attend one of our online info meetings for more indepth information.

Everyone Can be a Hero

Becoming an adoptive parent is no small task. Like the word 'hero' defines, it takes COURAGE to invite children into your family, home and life and care for them in a way that heals them by providing structure, stability, love and commitment.

Where Do I Start?

Completing an Idaho approved home study is the most important step in your Foster Care Adoption Journey.

Home Study

Though the Idaho Wednesday’s Child Program does accept inquiries from families who do not yet have a home study completed, no adoption can move forward without a completed home study

Confidentiality

In addition, due to confidentiality restrictions, the child’s adoption caseworker generally cannot provide you with further personal information about the child until your home study is complete.

Move Forward

Having a completed home study will help the process of adoption from foster care move forward much more expeditiously and provides the child's permanency team with the information needed to determine whether your family may be the best fit for the child you are interested in.

Schedule

When assessing inquiries that have come in for a waiting child, preference is routinely given to families that already have completed home studies, so it is important to think about getting one as soon as possible!

Still Have Questions?

We realize that adoption from foster care can be a confusing process and hope to answer many of the questions you have regarding how to proceed.

The Wait Can Be a Challenge

We understand that the wait involved in adopting from foster care can be lengthy and frustrating at times. The initial inquiry process can take several weeks before a connection can be made between an inquiring family and the Permanency Team of a Waiting Child. Once that connection is made, it also takes time for the team to get to know more about your family in order to determine whether or not your family is a good fit for the child you are interested in. While much of the wait is an inevitable part of the process, we would love to help you make the best use possible of your time by providing resources about how childhood trauma can affect the social, emotional, medical, behavioral and academic needs of children who come from hard places. This information will give your family a great head start on understanding the needs of the child you hope to adopt.

Resources While You Wait

Waiting can be difficult. Below we have listed some resources, tips and tricks that can help with the process.

Read a Book

The Connected Child

Karyn B. Purvis and
David R. Cross
Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family.

The Body Keeps the Score

Bessell van der Kolk, M.D.
Brain, Mind, and Body in the healing of trauma.

Healing Developmental Trauma

Laurence Heller Phd and
Aline Psyd Lapierre
How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, and Relationship.

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