FOSTER parents who wish to adopt their foster children must undergo a formal legal process, said the Regional Alternative Child Care Office (Racco) 7.
“There is a difference between foster care and adoption,” Racco 7 Director Concepcion Solera said on Saturday, June 14, 2025. “Fostering and adoption are both important ways of caring for children in need, but they differ significantly in purpose, legal status and long-term commitment.”
Racco 7 explained that foster care is a temporary arrangement where the child remains under the state’s legal custody. Foster parents provide daily care, but major decisions require a social worker’s approval.
“Adoption, on the other hand, is a permanent legal process where full parental rights and responsibilities are transferred to the adoptive parents,” Solera said.
Once adopted, the child gains the same rights as a biological child, said Solera.
For foster parents to adopt, the child must first be legally declared available for adoption through a certificate declaring a child legally available for adoption from the National Authority for Child Care.
The foster parents must also meet standard adoption requirements: a Filipino citizen (or qualified foreign national), at least 25 years old and 16 years older than the child, have good moral character, emotionally and psychologically fit and demonstrate the ability to provide care. The process typically takes six to 12 months.
Racco 7 also addressed common myths, clarifying that administrative adoption is free of court fees and that being a foster parent does not automatically lead to adoption. The agency stressed that legal adoption provides lasting security and that adopted children can thrive in loving families.
Support services, including legal assistance, counseling and potential financial subsidies, are available to families.
Solera encouraged those hesitant about fostering or adopting.
“It’s natural to feel uncertain,” she said. “But if you’re thinking about it, it means your heart is already open to making a difference in a child’s life.”
She assured prospective parents they don’t have to be perfect.
“What matters most is your willingness to learn, to provide love and stability,” Solera said. “There are systems in place to guide and support you... you won’t be alone.” / CDF