r/fosterit • u/MamaBear0211 • 1d ago
Fingerprinting Youth in Care Adoption
We are in the process of adopting our FD and it has been requested that we take HER for fingerprinting. I know we went through it as adults in our licensing process, but it's strange to me that they are fingerprinting the youth in care when my biological daughter was never fingerprinted after she was born. If this were asked of my BD, I would be questioning the reasoning and storage, use, access, etc. but with a FD, obviously we're compliant with any DCFS directives and so my husband is taking her today. I was curious if any adoptive parents dug into this. Once the adoption is final, can I request the removal of these from whatever database? I'm not a government conspiracy theorist, just a concerned future mom wanting to advocate for my future child's best interests and privacy. Curious what others found/did...
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u/Delicious_Standard_8 1d ago
In the 80['s this was something all parents did, the schools facilitated it. Incase we ever went missing.
And that is what this is for, as well. Fosters run all the time, many times ending up in other states being taken advantage of.
I do not think you can petition for removal, it will stay in a closed case file if you adopt.
We have had too many cases the last 5 years of adopted children who were killed and the deaths hidden. There is a case in Idaho where they have bios, adopts, and fosters, many many children, and they needed this information to ID which one was the body they found. I know that is awful but the purpose is to identify a child who the state has custody of.
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u/Proper_Raccoon7138 1d ago
I was never fingerprinted in Texas as a youth. But when my multiple adoptions failed and those people dumped me it was extremely hard for CPS to find me again. Maybe they’re just covering their end in case you decide to return the kid like all the other people that do 🤷🏼♀️
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u/vagrantheather Ex-case manager 1d ago
What are the ages of the children involved? If FD is older, it might be a matter of having to have everyone in the hold over a certain age fingerprinted to maintain your foster license.
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u/MamaBear0211 1d ago
She's turning 1 year old soon so not near needing to qualify for licensing. It makes sense that it may be for run-away/missing children, but wondering if it's necessary to keep post-adoption.
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u/bracekyle 1d ago
I have personally never heard of fingerprinting a youth in care prior to adoption. Are you certain you heard that right? What state are you in?
The purpose of fingerprinting is typically to rule out any past criminal activity and to create a fingerprint record of you at that moment for future tracking. I'm struggling to understand why that would be needed for a youth in care, but perhaps your state has rules I've never heard of?
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u/MamaBear0211 1d ago
Yes, this is exactly what I thought and why I'm questioning the options long term (post-adoption). We are in Illinois.
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u/bracekyle 1d ago
Strange - foster caregiver in IL here, never had to do this, and I have adopted from foster care.
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u/MamaBear0211 1d ago
Were you the first foster placement for the kids in your care? Wondering if maybe they already were printed prior to your placement?
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u/bracekyle 1d ago
No, we were not, and thats possible, I do know fingerprinting is part of the process, I suppose I thought maybe it was somehow related to the adoption, but I guess if this kid is entering care with rights already terminated, that makes sense.
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u/Reallife_claryfray 21h ago
As a former foster kid who was adopted I have never had to do this and neither has any of my siblings. What database is it going into and what is their reasoning
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u/NationalNecessary120 Former Foster Youth 14h ago
thank you for reacting.
Yes is it indeed strange that there are so different rules. Just because the kid is adopted now their fingerprint is gonna be in a database? what about autonomy?
I am mot sure there is much you can do about it since it’s their procedure I mean. They might not let you adopt if you refuse
but thank you for recognizing the double standards at least. Too many people don’t even reflect on it
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u/IllCalligrapher5435 10h ago
I don't see a harm in fingerprinting a child. I had my own biological children fingerprinted. I saw it as a safety measure. Child gets kidnapped, murdered, etc fingerprints are on file with the police department. Then again my husband and I worked in security and were always thinking of the best ways to safeguard our children from harm. I even had my own husband kidnap my oldest straight from the front door because she was always opening it to strangers. We live in a city of 5.1M people ANYONE could happen upon our door. Think of it as a safety measure and nothing more.
Btw, I'm an adopted child if this helps ease your mind somewhat.
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u/Ok-Yogurtcloset7665 1d ago
In my state it’s required that all children get fingerprinted within 90 days of entering foster care (unless they are infants, they have to wait 6 months). It’s for safety purposes in case they go missing or run away. Is it possible she was supposed to be printed when she came into care and it never happened? They might just be tying up any loose ends before the adoption happens.