You’re an adult who has been raising your minor sibling for quite some time. However, you’re technically their foster parent, meaning that they could be adopted by someone else unless you decide to raise them permanently.
Per Florida Statutes Chapter 63 Sections 22-301, any adult can adopt as long as they comply with home residency requirements 90 days before the finalization of an adoption. In addition, children 12 years of age and older have to consent to the adoption.
There are several benefits to sibling adoption, including:
You protect them from ending up in a bad foster home
Many foster families do a lot of good with the children in their care. But unfortunately, that’s not the case for all of them. Some foster parents abuse or neglect their charges and/or only see them as a source of income. In fact, one former foster mother who ran a YouTube channel severely mistreated her foster children off-screen when they made mistakes with their roles.
If your sibling stays with you for the rest of their childhood, they’d be with someone loving and trustworthy instead of taking chances with an individual or family who might care little to nothing about their welfare.
Kinship adoption maintains emotional and familial bonds
Even if your sibling ends up in a healthy foster home, they could suffer in other ways. For example, if they’ve been living under your care since infanthood and suddenly have to live with an unfamiliar family, they might be miserable and homesick. And you might miss them, too.
Adopting your sibling could prevent any potential heartbreak while strengthening the loving bond between you two.
Sibling adoption (and adoption in general) is a remarkable yet difficult procedure. Consider seeking experienced legal assistance to guide you through the process.