Foster care and adoption in Velikoslavia

Foster care and adoption is the process in Velikoslavia which a child, whose parents are either dead or declared unfit for care, is placed within a state institution, with a relative, or in another establishment and subsequently rehomed or cared for until the age of majority. The placement of the child is usually arranged through the government social services agency. The state stands in place of the child's legal guardians, making all legal decisions while the institution or foster parent is responsible for day to day care.

Licensing is overseen by the Ministry of Health within the government and facilities or foster homes where children are placed have strict requirements to maintain a license and must pass rigorous bi-yearly inspections. All licenses are nationally issued and individual governorates are not part of this process. The licensing process for a foster parent to to become licensed to adopt requires passing several steps. It requires preparation classes as well as an application process through the national government. The application varies but may include: minimum age; verification that income is sufficient to meet expenses; a criminal record check, a reference from a doctor to ensure that all household members are free from diseases that a child could contract and are in sufficient health to parent a child; and letters of reference from an employer and others who know them.

Most adoptions in Velikoslavia are adoptions by a step-parent with the second most common type being foster care adoption. In those cases, the child is unable to live with the birth family, and the government is overseeing the care and adoption of the child. There are several licensed agencies who arrange adoptions independent of the government, most of which are connected to the Velikoslavian Orthodox Church. Despite caring for and placing children independently, the agencies and foster parents must both have approved government issued licenses.