Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care

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How can you create an adoptive parent profile to help you stand out and show what makes you unique? To find out, join our guests Erin Quick, the Founder and CEO of PairTree and an adoptive mom, and Jess Nelson, the profile creation provider at Pairtree and a two-time birth mom.

In this episode, we cover:

• What are Adoptive Parent Profiles?
• What other names might they go by?
• Each agency or attorney has their own preference, but the goal is to be yourself and to represent your family honestly. 
• What are the different ways that agencies use profiles?
• Do agencies share your home study with the expectant mom or couple?
• How many profiles is an expectant mother or couple usually given to look at?
• Does each adoption agency or adoption attorney have different info they want you to share?
• What are the elements of a “good” profile?
• What should be on your cover?
• What sections/topics should you include?
• Should you discuss your thoughts on openness in adoption?
• Is a “closing “important?
• How many pictures should you include in an adoptive parent profile?
• Are captions to the pictures important?
• Quality of the pictures.
• Should you include a video if your adoption portfolio is digital?
• What type of pictures should you avoid?
• How to handle pictures with alcohol in them?
• Is there anything different you would suggest for single prospective parents? female and male 
• Is there anything different you would suggest for LGBTQ+ prospective adoptive parents?
• How do you show your family support when you do not have a close family because of death or estrangement?
• What if your house or apartment does not look good or does not photograph well? 
• What format should you use: hardback book, booklet, online, or stapled together?
• How many copies should you print? 
• How important is the adoptive parent portfolio in the expectant parent’s decision-making?
• What is the experience like for an expectant mom or couple to go through profiles.
  • Birth Parent Experiences in Adoption (1 hour Creating a Family podcast)
  • A Panel of Birth Moms Talk About Adoption (1 hour Creating a Family podcast)

This podcast is produced  by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Question:  How are pre-adoptive matches made in foster care? I’ve heard that families may even need to network with social workers to be noticed when possible matches come up, but I’m not sure how matches are made.

Resources:

• Working as Part of a Foster Care Team
• Foster Care Adoption
• Practical Tips for Fostering a Sibling Group

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Join us for a wonderful discussion with author and performer Susan Kiyo Ito about her new memoir, I Would Meet You Anywhere. This is a book adoptive parents should read!

In this episode, we cover:

• It felt like much of the tension between you and your birth mother was due to her desire to keep you a secret and your desire to be seen. And also her desire to be in control of this relationship.
• The harsh reality that adoption reunions between adoptees and birth families can be fraught with lots of conflicting emotions. In the book I Would Meet You Anywhere, you describe this tension. “Once again, I was the secret held by our mother. I was wilting under the weight of all the not telling. Still, I couldn't resist Yumi’s siren call. I would crash on the rocks of her.” 
• It’s not about us—the adoptive parents. It was your quest to be whole. Talk with us about your relationship with your parents—your adoptive parents –and yet still feeling a longing to understand and connect with your biological parents and roots. 
• Did reunion change your concept of what family is?
• Primal wound.
• Why is the phrase “You’re so lucky” so off the mark, even for someone like you who had what seems like a loving, not idyllic, but fine upbringing?
• Japanese American parents raised you, but you sometimes felt not Japanese enough because of your white biological father. How have you made meaning out of your “biracialness”? 
• The importance of being in a community with other adopted people.
• Has your birth mother read the book, and if so, has it impacted your relationship?

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Question: We are in the process of deciding whether to adopt, we have decided to give up on fertility treatment. As I listened to your podcast, I thought it would be good to ask you what you wish you had known before you had adopted?

Resources:

• Creating and Cultivating Attachment
• Helping a Child Heal from Trauma
• Post-Adoption Depression

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Could you qualify for the Adoption Tax Credit? Find out by listening to this podcast with Becky Wilmoth, an Enrolled Agent and Adoption Tax Credit Specialist with Bill’s Tax Service, and Josh Kroll, the Adoption Subsidy Resource Center coordinator at Families Rising (formerly the NACAC).

In this episode, we cover:

• What is the Adoption Tax Credit for adoption being claimed on 2023 federal taxes?
• What is a “credit” and how does it differ from a deduction or some other form of tax savings?
• If you get a tax refund every year, how would you use the Adoption Tax Credit?
• If you don’t have any federal tax liability, should you still apply the credit to your federal income taxes?
• What type of adoptions are included or excluded? Stepparent adoption? Embryo adoption? Same-sex partner second parent adoption? Unmarried heterosexual second parent adoption? Surrogacy?
• Can you get credit for each adoption you complete even if completed in the same year? What about adopting siblings at the same time?
• What is a Qualified Adoption Expense for purposes of the Adoption Tax Credit 2022?
• When can you claim the Adoption Tax Credit?
  • Domestic private adoption
  • International Adoption
  • Re-adoption in the US for international adoption
  • Foster Care Adoption
• How does the Adoption Tax Credit work with kinship adoptions? What if the child never was involved with the foster care?
• Special Needs Adoption: How does the Adoption Tax Credit differ for adoptions from foster care? What does the IRS accept as proof of “special needs”?
• $0 subsidy agreement
• Special needs child for international adoption
• Can you reclaim your expenses for an attempted adoption that did not result in a placement? How?
• What income level (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) is excluded from claiming the Adoption Tax Credit in 2022?
• How long can the credit be carried over?
• Are you able to amend previous year tax return to claim adoption tax credit? Is adoption tax credit something you can amend for, and if so, how do you amend and how many years back?
• Will the Adoption Tax Credit offset self-employment tax?
• How does the Secure Act impact claiming the Adoption Tax Credit for 2023 taxes?
• What should you do if the child’s Social Security Number is unavailable when you file?
  • Should you use an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number (ATIN #) if you don’t have the child’s social security number?
• How does the Adoption Tax Credit work in conjunction with employee adoption benefits? For special needs adoption?
• Qualified Birth or Adoption Distribution from Qualified Retirement Plan without penalty. Under Secure Act.
• If you adopt, can you still get the Child Tax Credit?
• What do you need in order to get the Child Tax Credit for your adopted child?
• Do you need to send to the IRS any documentation for the Adoption Tax Credit when you file your taxes? What type of documentation should you keep in your records?
• How to find a tax specialist knowledgeable on the Adoption Tax Credit? https://adoptiontaxcredit.org
• How to advocate for refundability?

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or r

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Question:   What questions should a pre-adoptive family ask about a possible match when adopting from foster care to determine whether the match would be a good fit for the family?

Resources:

• Adopting from Foster Care
• Foster Care Resource Guide for Parents
• Creating a Family Facebook Support Group

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Are you considering adopting this year? Don't miss this podcast on how to adopt in 2024. Our guests are Teresa Bernu, the Associate Director at the Adoption Center of Illinois, and Steve Valdez, the Chief Operating Officer at Hand in Hand International Adoptions. Teresa Bernu has over 13 years of experience in the child welfare field, dealing with a wide range of cases, including domestic infant adoption, foster care, and guardianship. Steve Valdez holds a B.A. in Public Relations, a Master of Divinity, and an M.A. in Psychology. He’s an adopted dad of 5 kids through foster care adoption.

In this episode, we cover:
Domestic infant private adoption in the US

• What is the process?
• What are the reasons that pregnant moms are placing their child?
• Open adoption
• Expectant parent choice
• Special needs of children available
• How long does it take? What factors influence this time?
• How much does it cost? What factors influence this cost?
• Adoption agency and adoption attorney
• What is the first step prospective adoptive parents should take if they are interested in adopting a baby?

Adoptions from foster care in the US

• What is the process?
• Adopting your foster child
• Adopting a waiting child
• What are the reasons that children come into foster care in the US?
• What age and race of child is available for adoption from foster care?
• Special needs?
• How long does it take?
• How much does it cost?
• What is the first step prospective adoptive parents should take if they are interested in adopting from foster care?

International adoptions to the US 

• What is the process?
• What types of special needs do children available for adoption from abroad have?
• How long does it take? What factors influence this time?
• How much does it cost? What factors influence this cost?
• What is the first step prospective adoptive parents should take if they are interested in adopting internationally?

Additional resources:

• Adoptions in the US: How Many? How Much? How Long?
• Choosing an Adoption Agency or Attorney

 This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Adoption:

• Cost of Adoption: How Much? How Long?
• Adoption Comparison Charts

We surveyed our Facebook community, and we discuss how our members paid for their adoptions.

How to Save for Adoption the Dave Ramsey Way

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Have you thought about adopting or fostering as a single parent? Join us to listen to a panel of single adoptive parents share the joys and challenges of this option.

In this episode, we cover:

• What were your biggest worries when you were thinking about fostering or adopting as a single person?
• Adopting or fostering a child of a different gender—what are some things parents need to consider?
• Who is a part of your “village” in helping you?
• How do you handle the work/life balance as a single parent?
• Change in friend groups.
• What has been your biggest blessing or joy as a single adoptive or foster parent?

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!

Question: I want to foster children, but my husband is against it. Our kids are 5 and 3 years old, and I really want to keep on having kids through fostering. I think I’m a good mom, and I think I’d do great at fostering. My husband thinks we have our hands full with 2 kids. He thinks adding other kids with possible behavioral problems will sink us.

Resources:

• Welcoming a New Child into Your Home
• Helping Children Heal From Trauma
• Parenting Kids with Challenging Behaviors

This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Please leave us a rating or review RateThisPodcast.com/creatingafamily

Support the show

Please leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building