Foster to adopting teens is not as common as it should be. Sometimes the decision to adopt comes naturally just like it came for Casey Douglas and her husband. They knew they did not want to have biological children. Instead, they wanted to start their family through adoption. In late Summer of 2016 they began the process of becoming licensed to foster and adopt.
Foster to Adopting Teens- The First Placement
The couple received their first placement in 2017 with a 16-year-old-boy. Unfortunately, he was not legally open for adoption. After a few months they took custody of him. A year later in August and December of 2018 they received their youngest and middle son. The adoption for the oldest son went through on January 10, 2019, just after his 18th birthday. The other two had their adoption day on October 30, 2019.
With a full house, the family had to learn to grow with one another. The three sons ranged from 15 to 19 years old. At first, there was no telling how they would interact with each other let alone with their new parents. The couple was not too much older than them but that didn’t matter. The boys loved and respected them because all they wanted was a home where they felt they belonged.
Creating a Family
The entire process from foster to adopting the teens took a lot of time and dedication. Even though the three boys weren’t biologically related they recognized each other as brothers. Casey and her husband worked hard to give them a great support system. From family and friends to social workers the family had a small community around them that helped them get through the tough times. In fact, the tough times only made the family more united.
Casey’s fear was that she and her husband missed too much of the boys’ lives but the boys didn’t care about their past they just cared about their future with their new parents. Her philosophy is,
Adoption is beauty from ashes. It is seeing the pain and hurt of abuse and neglect and it is taking a stand for a child in a vulnerable position and saying no more. Each family is unique and each child’s story is unique. For our children we celebrate adoption because it means a life of being chosen, and a promise for forever.
In Conclusion
We appreciate Casey Douglas for sharing her foster to adoption of teens story with us. For those who are in the process of fostering to adopt, Foster Love – Together We Rise offers free adoption day photography through our Framing Forever program. Click here for more information!
