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Yes, I believe that it was also a misunderstanding with the person teaching pride classes. When we took our classes the person teaching them was just a foster parent (15 years of fostering) not a trained staff state employee.
Also, Again Jamie we are from Illinois so I am not sure about the difference beteen my state and yours. In Illinois you must go through the foster parent classes (PRide) to be eligable to have a waiting child placed wth you. You will have a foster license. It does not mean that you have to take children who need only temporary homes but you will be asked and all you have to do is say no. You see the way it works in my state is that once your a licensed foster parent your name is placed on a list saying how many beds you have open in your home. Anyone who is a licensed foster parent for that agency district has there name on that list. The list does not really give any more information than what is on it, how many openings you have, what is your preferred age group, etc. Every body who in an investigator or SW has the same list. It will not say that you are only in it for adoption but hopefuly after you talk to enough SW's and Investigators they will write it in next to your name. As a former foster parent I received many calls in the middle of the night by investigators who needed to remove children from abusive homes. They are just desperate to find a home for this child. when it's 3am and you are trying to console/comfort a cold, scared, hungry, tired, sick 18 month old/ 3 year old or 16 year old you take any chance at finding a set of arms to place them in. That is what I meant in other post that you have to stick to your guns about what will work for your family. It's not always easy. There was one time that I took an 19 month old, at 2am, after we agreed no more babies for our family, because my heart broke for this child. It all worked out for us and him in the long run.
Some children are considered an adoption risk, meaning that there is a good possibiliity that they may be cleared for adoption but that parental termination is pending. The choice will be yours if you want to take that risk.
Any way back to your state. HAve yu asked what addditonal classes you will need in addition to Pride? In Illinois you must also take adoption classes. They are not as long as the first set of classes we attended.
Also with soooo many children in the system needing loving homes, the Pride teacher should be careful not to discourage people. I do not believe this was her intention I believe it was a misunderstanding.
Judilyn
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