Choosing whether to foster or adopt is a big decision. Both are ways to help children who need a safe and loving home, but they are very different.
Who makes the decisions?
When you adopt a child, you become their legal parent forever. You make all the decisions for them, just like you would for a birth child. Foster care in Wrexham is usually a temporary arrangement. You care for the child but many big decisions, such as where they go to school or when they see their birth family, are made by the local council and the birth parents. Foster carers are sometimes given permission to make certain decisions, but not all.
How many children need help?
There are far more children in need of foster homes than adoptive families. In the year to 31 March 2024, around 57,000 children were in foster care in the UK. By comparison, only around 2,100 children were waiting to be adopted. This shows there is a much greater need for foster carers.
How long it lasts
Adoption is for life, with the child becoming a permanent part of your family. Fostering is short- or long-term. Some children stay for just a couple of days or weeks, while others might stay for years. Long-term fostering is still not the same as adoption, as the child remains in care. If you want to know more about foster care Wrexham, you will find plenty of help and advice available.
How long you wait
Once you are approved, foster carers usually get a placement fairly quickly because the need is so high. People who want to adopt may wait longer to be matched with a child who suits their family.
Money and support
Adoption can cost money; for example, there are fees for health checks. Foster carers are paid a weekly allowance to help with the cost of caring for the child. Foster carers also receive strong support and training. Adopters get help during the process and some support after, but it may not be as regular.
