Fostering in Nevada: Can It Lead to Adoption?
Nevada has experienced a recent surge in children entering the foster care system. Foster care provides a stable environment for children who have been removed from their homes, typically because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Children are placed in foster care by either a court order or voluntary surrender by their parents. Fostering a child provides a safe, stable environment while the child prepares for either reunification with their biological family or adoption.
While the ultimate goal of foster care is reunification, many times, that is not possible. Some parents lose their parental rights, leaving the child eligible for adoption. Foster parents who’ve developed a bond with their foster child may consider adopting their foster child. You might be curious about the foster care guidelines and the process of adopting a foster child. Below, we provide some general information about Nevada’s foster care requirements and the foster-to-adopt process.
Foster Care Guidelines in Nevada
If you are wondering about the process of adopting from fostering in Nevada, you may be curious about the foster care guidelines.
Becoming a Licensed Foster Parent
First, you must become a licensed foster parent. If you are 21 years of age or older, and have adequate space for the child in your home, then you are potentially eligible. You must take the following steps to become a foster parent in Nevada:
- Undergo a pre-screening background check with your fingerprints,
- Complete a Professional Caregivers Pre-Service Training,
- Complete a foster parent application,
- Undergo a family profile and home study, and
- Have your home approved for safety.
If you live with other adults, they will also have to undergo a background check. Plus, they will be a part of the home study and home safety assessment.
Home Study and Safety Assessment
Once you have taken some initial steps, such as passing the background check and completing the training, someone from the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) will conduct a home study and home safety assessment.
In a home study, the foster parent licensing worker from DCFS will conduct a series of interviews with you and any other adult in the house, particularly those who will also be primary caregivers. Information gathered from a home study includes:
- Employment history,
- Educational background,
- Family history,
- Day-to-day habits and routines,
- Previous parenting experience,
- Your neighborhood, and
- Your readiness to be a foster parent.
In addition to the home study, the DCFS worker will also conduct a home safety assessment. Fostering in Nevada requires you to bring your home up to specific safety standards, including putting all medications in a locked container and securing any pool on your property.
Once approved as a foster parent, DCFS will place a child in your home. The child will have an assigned caseworker who will communicate with you about visits with the child’s biological family and the status of any court cases involving the child. They’ll also check on the health and safety of the child in your care.
How a Foster Child Becomes Eligible for Adoption
Sometimes, biological parents lose their parental rights. For a child in foster care, this is typically the result of DCFS petitioning the court to terminate parental rights. This is an extreme measure that courts do not take lightly. DCFS and a judge will try to give the biological parent a pathway to reunification if possible. However, because this is not always possible, parents sometimes lose their rights to their children. Thus, some children in foster care become eligible for adoption.
Foster Parent Adoption Process
Meanwhile, a foster parent typically develops a strong bond with their foster child. Because of this, when a child becomes eligible for adoption, DCFS gives the foster parents priority for adopting their foster children. You should tell your DCFS caseworker whether you are interested in adopting your foster child.
Many foster parents wonder whether there are differences between the foster care vs. adoption guidelines. Many of the requirements to become a foster parent are the same as those for adoption in Nevada. For example, if you are a foster parent, you have already undergone a background check, completed a home study and a family profile, and taken parenting courses.
Once you have indicated that you’d like to adopt your foster child, DCFS may ask you to fulfill some additional requirements. For example, DCFS requires at least six months of supervision and support after DCFS places a child with a potential adoptive family.
After you’ve fulfilled the requirements, a court will finalize the adoption. This means that the child is legally your child.
Financial Support and Costs of Foster Care and Adoption
There are costs associated with becoming a foster parent and adopting a child. You will have to pay to fingerprint each adult in the household for the background check. You may also need to pay for improvements in your house to bring it up to DCFS requirements.
While the child is in foster care, DCFS will supply them with medical insurance from the state. The foster parent will also receive a monthly payment to cover the child’s room, board, and other incidental expenses. However, this may not cover everything. This is why DCFS examines a foster parent’s financial status to ensure they can cover additional costs to care for a child.
If the foster parent wants to adopt, DCFS provides $250 for adoption filing fees and hiring an adoption attorney. Once you adopt the child, the child becomes your responsibility. DCFS offers no financial assistance after adoption unless the child is considered a special needs child.
How Can an Attorney Help?
An attorney can prepare your adoption petition and represent you in the adoption proceeding. Adoption requires a judicial proceeding. You must file a petition for adoption and serve it on all appropriate parties. Then the court will hold a hearing before they issue a Decree of Adoption. The last thing you want is to make a mistake on the court paperwork or be unprepared for the hearing. An experienced family law attorney can help you fulfill all of the legal requirements for adoption in Nevada.
Get Foster to Adoption Help From Our Experienced Family Law Attorneys
You don’t have to navigate Nevada’s foster care system and adoption process alone. The dedicated and trusted Las Vegas family law attorneys at Mills & Anderson are experienced in representing parents in child and adult adoptions. Contact us today for a consultation.
