Social Workers, please tell us your opinions (parents, cost, children)

[katharsis]

We adopted our kids almost 20 years ago, and I won't rehash our history on this thread, so I have no current personal stake in this, but I am just wondering if the system is having more difficulty finding adoptive and foster families now than 25 years ago.

It just seems to me that with the Internet and social media, adoptive and foster kids are now more at risk from contact and/or bad influence -- and possibly even kidnapping -- by unfit bio parents and other relatives, and that older kids would be more likely to run away from their adoptive or foster families to go back to their bio families. Am I mistaken in this? And if I am not mistaken, what, if anything, are counties doing to reassure prospective adoptive and foster families that these things are not likely to happen?

(I will say that if I had known how much impact the Internet and social media would have -- and also how liberal the public school system would become as far as lower expectations for students both behaviorally and academically* -- we never would have entered into the foster/adopt system; and I also wonder if I am very much in the minority for thinking this way.)


*At least that was my experience

[Rynldsbr]

I don't know about some of your specific concerns but I do know there is a dramatic shortage of foster families pretty much nationwide. Some say they don't have the time or money due to rising cost of living. Some say they fear the social system being to involved in their life and the potential for claims of abuse. I have also heard that some people simply say it should be the government's problem and not up to private citizens to get involved.

[BobDylanFan2]

"we never would have entered into the foster/adopt system"
Hoping your adult children do not read this.....