Amanda M. Usher | The Valdosta Daily TimesChristy and Sean Baxter have adopted six children and are fostering three children. 

VALDOSTA – For the past 12 years, the Baxters have been fostering children in need. 

Sean and Christy Baxter spoke about their experiences recently at an adoption event.

The Division of Family and Children Services sponsored the event at the historic Lowndes County Courthouse square earlier this month to recruit families to adopt and provide information as part of National Adoption Month.

The Baxters are fostering three children, one as young as 7 months and one as old as 3 years. They have one biological child and have adopted six children.

They began helping children when Christy Baxter was in college. She depicts the process of fostering as “long, challenging but rewarding.”

As rewarding as fostering is, she said it’s also heartbreaking.

“You meet children and fall in love with them, and you help rebuild families; and then, you have to let go of them and let them go back to their families,” Christy Baxter said, “and then, sometimes they do well and sometimes they end up back with you or back in the system. So, you see the good and the bad.”

Foster families provide support for parents who need assistance in understanding the next step in parenting, Sean Baxter said.

There are 112 children in South Georgia’s 18 counties that are available for adoption, said Rhonda Wheeler, regional director for Region 11 South Georgia.

Region 11 is under the umbrella of DFCS.

A large number of the children have what Wheeler calls adoptive resources, meaning they are with foster parents or relatives or have someone who are interested in adopting them.

Since January, Region 11 has finalized 77 adoptions opposed to the 30-40 adoptions completed in 2018, she said.

“Adoption is a wonderful thing,” Wheeler said. “It gives a child a permanent placement, a permanent life and a permanent family.”

A perfect profile for adopting children does not exist, she said, meaning interested residents can be single or married, have children or no children.

Child-placement agencies search for people who can provide love and guidance for kids.

“The majority of our adoptions are by single families, by single mothers or single fathers; it’s either,” Wheeler said. “You don’t have to have your own house, you can rent.”

She went on to add people are not required to have a college degree.

“We’re just looking to see if you can provide for that child just as any normal family would,” she said.

Wheeler said costs associated with adopting may be reimbursed due to federal regulations.

To anyone interested in fostering or adopting, the Baxters recommend asking lots of questions, being involved, communicating with DFCS, not giving up in the pursuit and being heartfelt in decision-making.

On site at the adoption event were Necco and Choices for Life providing information.

Call (1-877) 210-KIDS to contact Region 11.