Arms Wide’s Foster Care Program is small in comparison to other Houston adoption agencies. We view this as one of our greatest strengths because it allows our support team to learn about each and every family and child Arms Wide serves, not just those on their caseload. It also helps to ensure a highly personalized, responsive and compassionate program for our clients.

At Arms Wide, our biggest priority is that both families and children receive the highest quality services and support during this life-changing journey.

Arms Wide foster families typically fall into one of two categories:

• First, there are those families that want to provide a safe and loving home environment to children on a temporary basis. These families are motivated by a love for children and a desire to see them protected during their time in the Houston foster care program, which can be scary and uncertain. For some children, their time in foster care is the first time they have lived with appropriate, consistent caregivers. And while children in temporary care do not remain with their foster families permanently, the safety and stability they experience in foster care serves them well in the future. Families who provide temporary care are crucial to the foster care system and we greatly value their contribution to Our Program.
• The majority of Arms Wide’s foster families follow the foster-to-adopt path, where families seek to build their families through foster care placements that may progress into adoption. It is possible to adopt a child through foster care; however, it can be a very emotional and challenging journey where nothing is truly guaranteed. A foster child’s permanency goal is decided by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and the ultimate outcome is decided by the court presiding over the child’s case. During the child’s legal case, DFPS evaluates whether or not the child can safely return home or to an appropriate relative. If neither of these options is viable, the foster parents may be given the opportunity to adopt the child or sibling group.

Regardless of the type of foster home, Arms Wide asks that foster parents commit to care for the child in their care for the duration of the child’s legal case. It is extremely important that children in foster care do not face any additional moves or instability during their time in care.

Please contact Arms Wide today to learn more about how you can transform the life of a child in need via foster care and adoption!