reader79
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Post by reader79 on Apr 1, 2011 13:49:39 GMT -5
I can't help but think that the $54K will leave them worse off by the end of the year. They don't seem to be making smart choices with the money they have coming in now. $400/week on groceries - and she's a SAHM? There were months growing up that my parents (with six children,) didn't make $1600, and they waste that on groceries? It's easy when you're spending other people's money after all.
And it does make me sick to my stomach that they will receive a lump sum more than their annual earned salary. I am all for people taking in foster children - if they can afford to. And it does not appear that this couple could do that. Maybe they had the best of intentions, but I can see how when you have two or three, and the government is offering to double that monthly check, it would be hard to pass up.
They didn't spend the $13K each to adopt these children, that's why I feel so strongly about this tax credit.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Apr 1, 2011 13:49:59 GMT -5
I worry about the kids... 5 foster kids (maybe more since the article says the parents ADDED 5 to 7 they already had??) with an income of 39K (from dad's job). I'm not sure what 'special needs' means in terms of Foster kids - but I suspect there are Dr visists and/or therapists visists and medication and then school visits (to deal with problems at school)... I'm not sure how someone keeps up with 5 or more 'special needs' kids... much less a household with so many people (and possibly pets...) The other thing is that problems the kids have may be manageable when they are young - but how do you handle a kid with behavior issues (violent? sexual? hurts themselves?) when they become tweens and then teens? Not saying that 'special needs' kids are violent or future sex offenders... just saying I wonder if the agencies who place that many special needs kids in one home take into account the combined effect... will the kids really get the personalized attention they need when their caretakers have to divide up their attention?
I don't have a problem with the one time 'big refund'... I hope the family uses the money wisely.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 13:52:59 GMT -5
"If you've ever looked into adoption, it isn't easy and it isn't cheap. They probably paid out way more than they got with those kids."
Not if you adopt through the state. Here in Canada all the adoption expenses are paid by Children's Aid. The actual adoption process is free to the adopter.
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Post by pig on Apr 1, 2011 13:54:56 GMT -5
Everyone saying they can't afford it are just being obtuse. There are guidlines for income level and how many kids they'll let you have. Have you ever heard of anyone on welfare being able to adopt? They don't just hand out kids to anyone that wants them.
"Not if you adopt through the state. Here in Canada all the adoption expenses are paid by Children's Aid. The actual adoption process is free to the adopter."
Well then it's a good thing the OP isn't referring to Canada! lol
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 14:13:13 GMT -5
This is an international board pig. It's time you got used to it
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Apr 1, 2011 14:37:50 GMT -5
"If you've ever looked into adoption, it isn't easy and it isn't cheap. They probably paid out way more than they got with those kids." Not if you adopt through the state. Here in Canada all the adoption expenses are paid by Children's Aid. The actual adoption process is free to the adopter. The adoption fee for DH's niece was $45.00. They adopted her about 7 years ago, more or less. She's got a ton of issues/special needs which BIL and his wife didn't know they'd be dealing with when they adopted her. Not all kids are clearly special needs at birth.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Apr 1, 2011 14:45:48 GMT -5
A lot of times adoption costs aren't going to one entity. It isn't like the state is making a profit from adopting off foster kids. The costs go to lawyers who make sure the paperwork is proper. Sometimes the medical expenses of the birth mother are covered by adoption fees. In "regular" adoptions, often times a counselor is provided to help the birth mom through the decision. Sometimes there are costs with finding the Dad so parental rights can be forfeited.
I've never seen an adoption agency in a marble covered palace, or a birth mother driving around in a Rolls Royce - so I'm just not sure who we think is making so much money off adoptions that we should just "cut the price."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 14:53:29 GMT -5
I worry about the kids... 5 foster kids (maybe more since the article says the parents ADDED 5 to 7 they already had??) with an income of 39K (from dad's job). I'm not sure what 'special needs' means in terms of Foster kids - but I suspect there are Dr visists and/or therapists visists and medication and then school visits (to deal with problems at school)... I'm not sure how someone keeps up with 5 or more 'special needs' kids... much less a household with so many people (and possibly pets...) The other thing is that problems the kids have may be manageable when they are young - but how do you handle a kid with behavior issues (violent? sexual? hurts themselves?) when they become tweens and then teens? Not saying that 'special needs' kids are violent or future sex offenders... just saying I wonder if the agencies who place that many special needs kids in one home take into account the combined effect... will the kids really get the personalized attention they need when their caretakers have to divide up their attention? and this is exactly how I feel.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 14:54:58 GMT -5
Hmm. Wow to some of the statements made here.
My guardian used to work in a home for disabled/special needs children. That was in the early 80's and even then it was quite typical for families to be "encouraged" to leave children with problems there. The families would rarely visit. I spent quite a few afternoons there after school, helping to feed the kids. Even if you have the best caretakers in the world it is still a hospital environment with a pretty high staff to child ratio. I hope I never have to see a "cage-crib" again. Even if this family has 5 special needs kids they are probably getting far more individual attention than they would in another environment.
Anyone with a special needs child, much less more than one, knows that it's a more than full time job with special demands. These folks are not rolling in the dough and probably spend each day going from appointment to appointment.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 14:57:12 GMT -5
The rate of sexual/physical abuse of children and the elderly in institutions and nursing homes is staggering.
Children who have been sexually abused and seem at risk of offending usually have special requirements before they are placed in foster care.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 23:16:43 GMT -5
mmm... the state pays them to take care of foster kids... once they adopt the kids... they are theirs and the foster care payments STOP... so it is unselfish of these people to adopt... they could stay foster parents and keep collecting the paycheck... they want the kids to have a permanent home... kids with disabilities that other people aren't running to take...
I say unless you have three disabled kids at home, or you would rather disabled children live in a cement block group home on the bare minimum of instatutionalized life... you just shut it...
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schildi
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Post by schildi on Apr 1, 2011 23:32:10 GMT -5
Good for them! It's great to every once in a while see some tax money spent in a way that's worth it, and not wasted.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on Apr 2, 2011 14:39:22 GMT -5
$54,000 is a small price for us to pay them compared to the cost of foster care for 5 kids. They deserve it as it will certainly cost them more than that to raise those kids even if not a single one of them steps foot in college. They get more than the $54K. The children are "special needs" which means the gov. pays a monthly stipend for their care, they get state medical cards, and likely some sort of food assistance. It said they get $3300/month to raise those kids. I guarantee they don't spend that much each month raising them (no family that adopts 5 special needs kids on top of the 7 they already have cares about the well being of the kids). This is what I hate about the stipends for raising special needs kids. People just foster and adopt as many as their house will hold so they can make more money.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on Apr 2, 2011 14:43:28 GMT -5
Everyone saying they can't afford it are just being obtuse. There are guidlines for income level and how many kids they'll let you have. Have you ever heard of anyone on welfare being able to adopt? They don't just hand out kids to anyone that wants them. "Not if you adopt through the state. Here in Canada all the adoption expenses are paid by Children's Aid. The actual adoption process is free to the adopter." Well then it's a good thing the OP isn't referring to Canada! lol Here in America, they will hand over special needs kids to pretty much anyone who will take them. It is really sad. I don't think the income/family size limits are imposed in these cases. I mean, that family had 12 kids. What standards can there be if they let a family have 12 kids, at least 5 of which are special needs?
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Post by commentator on Apr 2, 2011 15:52:47 GMT -5
Petunia makes a good point. The couple finally getting the tax credits they earned over several years accumulated those credit carry overs by adopting special needs children who otherwise would have stayed in the foster system burning up tax dollars (state, local and federal). Anyone who has a problem with the size of that "refund" should adopt a special needs kid or two and NOT take the tax credit.
On second thought, people with that attitude probably shouldn't be allowed to adopt.
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Post by commentator on Apr 2, 2011 15:54:30 GMT -5
Here in America, they will hand over special needs kids to pretty much anyone who will take them. It is really sad. I don't think the income/family size limits are imposed in these cases. I mean, that family had 12 kids. What standards can there be if they let a family have 12 kids, at least 5 of which are special needs? Not true, at least not in Virginia.
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