[blparent] Collecting info on foster-adoptions as blind couples

[Miranda]

Hi,
My husband and I are both totally Blind and we're in the final stages of being licensed as foster parents. We plan to foster for infants to 3 years of age.
While stating that they won't place an infant with you due to your Blindness is illegal, and I also agree with trying (if possible) to get work to provide a more stable income for your family is a very wise idea, I also encourage you to explore your options. Many cities have more than one agency that facilitates adoptions and foster care placements. We are also in Michigan, and we chose a private adoption agency in our area.
We also encouraged our caseworker to ask any questions she had about our Blindness and how it will affect our parenting. Lastly, we gave her a coppy of "Parenting without Sight".
Be ready to advocate for yourself, as you'll need to advocate for your child in the future. But, I urge you to be careful in how you proceed.

My husband and I have created a Yahoo group for people interested in, in the process of or who have gone through the process of adoption. You can subscribe by sending a blank message to: blindparents-adoption-subscribe at yahoogroups.com.
Hth, and have a great day!

In Christ, Miranda

-----Original Message-----
From: trising <trising at sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 10:38 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] Collecting info on foster-adoptions as blind couples

We went to a state orientation meeting because we were interested in fostering to adopt. My husband and I are both totally blind. We 
were told that they would not place an infant with us because of our blindness. Since an infant is what we were interested in, we 
did not attend any more of the meetings. I know this is illegal. We intend to fight it as soon as Nick obtains a full time job. He 
has been looking in access technology for the last five and a half years, since we were married.
I am the Secretary for the National Federation of the Blind of Michigan. I know we do not look good on paper, since we primarily 
live on his S.S.D.I. and my S.S.I. We are trying to remedy this and then we will fight the illegality of the state saying they will 
not place an infant with us due to our blindness.
Nick and Terri Wilcox 



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