The greatest gift you can give a child in foster care is a committed, forever family. Each month Eckerd will feature a child in foster care available for adoption.
Meet Ciara
13 year-old Ciara has a beautiful smile and describes herself as “kind, loyal and loving…not to mention spunky and unique”. Ciara loves animals and aspires to be a Veterinarian when she gets older. She is musically-inclined, and loves to sing and play the clarinet. With a one-of-a-kind personality, Ciara is a very outgoing child who is extremely talkative and fun-loving. She’s funny, tells great jokes, and loves to dress up. What Ciara wants most in a family is unconditional love and, given a choice, would like either her mom or dad (or both) to be Hispanic.
Meet other available children featured on the Heart Gallery and Explore Adoption sites.
Children Available for Adoption
Children come into foster care through no fault of their own. Some enter care because they were abused, neglected or abandoned or because their parents weren’t able to care or cope with their medical needs or disabilities. They come from varied backgrounds, circumstances, races and ethnicities. While some have specific medical, physical or emotional issues that require special care, many do not. When children in foster care are available for adoption, this means the legal rights of their biological parents have been terminated and new adoptive families must be found.
“Special Needs” Children
“Special needs” is a federal, legal definition that applies to most children in foster care. It means the child qualifies for an adoption subsidy, but it does not necessarily mean the child has a disability. In Florida, any of the following criteria qualifies a child for special needs assistance:
- Age 8 or older
- Member of a sibling group being placed for adoption together
- African American or racially mixed
- Significant emotional ties with foster parents or a relative caregiver
- Mental, physical or emotional handicap
Teens
Teenagers in care need parents too. Think back to your own teenage years and remember how badly you needed love and guidance as you navigated the transition to adulthood. As an adoptive parent to a teen, you’ll provide them with a strong family foundation and give them the security and confidence to make solid life decisions that lead to a successful future. And remember, when you adopt a teenager from foster care, tuition is free to any Florida state university, college or vocational school.
Siblings
In the past, brothers and sisters separated from their birth parents due to abuse or neglect were often adopted into different homes. This was partially because younger siblings found homes more readily, leaving older siblings in temporary foster care. Eckerd believes strongly in keeping siblings together and is committed to finding homes, whenever possible, for large sibling groups.
Children with Disabilities or Medical Conditions
Some of the children who wait the longest to find forever families are children with special disabilities or medical conditions. Eckerd is looking for families who will embrace this challenge and experience the unique rewards of adopting a child with special needs. Some of our best prospects are those who have successfully parented children with similar disabilities, as well as those who work in the medical field.
African American Children
At any given time, about 40% of Eckerd foster children awaiting adoption are African American. Adopting a child of African American descent provides unique opportunities for families to help preserve and celebrate the child’s heritage. Targeted recruitment efforts are currently underway to partner with churches and other faith-based organizations (such as One Church One Child) to help find these children adoptive homes.
