Alamance County couple opens home to foster, adopt two siblings

Ashley and Michael, who already have five biological children, have opened their Alamance County home to foster and adopt two young siblings, a decision they said grew out of their faith and a desire to expand their family in a meaningful way. Their experience puts a local face on a system that depends on families willing to step in when children cannot remain safely with their birth parents.

That need is not small in Alamance County. The Alamance County Department of Social Services says there are more than 100 children in foster care in the county at any given time. Across North Carolina, the Department of Health and Human Services says reunification with biological families is the primary goal when children enter foster care, but qualified foster and adoptive parents are still needed for children who cannot go home right away.

State officials say the demand is especially high for sibling groups, teenagers, children with special needs and minority children. Keeping brothers and sisters together is often one of the hardest parts of the system, and it can shape whether children are able to maintain a sense of stability while they wait for a permanent placement.

A Guilford County case showed how difficult that can be. On March 27, 2017, one couple finalized the adoption of five siblings after the children had spent more than 1,000 days in foster care and lived in five different homes. Children’s Hope Alliance helped secure waivers so the siblings could remain together, underscoring how much coordination and persistence can be required to preserve family bonds.

Ashley and Michael said they hope their own path encourages other people who may be considering fostering or adoption. Their story is less about a single milestone than about the wider responsibility local families can take on when children need safe, stable homes and a chance to stay connected to their brothers and sisters.

For Alamance County residents who want to learn more, the county Department of Social Services holds online foster parent interest meetings on the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. That first step can lead to licensing, training and a closer look at what foster care and adoption actually demand from the families who choose to open their doors.