[cherrioDucks]

Hi everyone,

Look, you guys out there, in Mass. adoption is free through the state. Yes, you have to put up with a lot of red tape and delays due to cut backs, but it's all there for you who want a child.
here's what you do:
1. contact your local DSS adoption office & set up an appointment

2. fill out the forms, get them back to the office asap & start your
MAP training (manatory)
3. wait (not as long as you think)it takes 9mo for a baby, figure twice that for adoption.

The more restrictions you place on them, the longer you wait, so , if you want a 2 yo boy with blonde hair and blue eyes and no problems, you'll wait longer.

It is a federal law that adoptive parents have to recieve the same amount of financial support as the foster parents. In Ma. you recieve $14.92 per day per child age 5 and under, it goes up at ages 5& 13. you recieve a clothing alowance quarterly, birthday money, all medical & dental. If you adopt a special they have PACT money, that is $7.50 per hour for extra care.by you. some kids get as much as 40 hours per week(thats a 7 day week)
All of which is and should be negociated at adoption(sorry , my spelling is awful)the need for PACT money has to be approved every year, not hard if the child is still special needs. Add to this Social Security Income if your child is deamed "disabled".
If you have taken a child with special needs there are all kinds of help, home nursing visits, Early intervention, Home Health Aides, OT, PT, Speach therapy, all of whom can come to your house so you aren't running yourself ragged.

Look, I'm not telling you you're going to make money, far from it, but you don't have to take this on alone, and not having a huge income is not a huge problem. These kids just want a loving family, single, gay, lesbian, 2 parent, none of that matters.

I have 2 adopted children(working on my 3rd) and 3 foster kids. I am single and 56. My last adoption is a child who was horrible abused,3 mo old, shaken baby with a brain stem injury and 3 brain surgeries that has resulted in a shunt, do you think I care he has a lump on his head when he runs across the room and throws himself in my lap and says "La Lu Mommy"?At present, I recieve $1450.00 per month for this sweetie along with all medical, dental, SSI,OT, PT, Speech therapy, nursing visits and 3 hours per day home health aide hours ( I can leave the house and enjoy a few hours to myself)

It's out there if you want it, but you have to be flexable and not expect perfect children. You make them perfect in your heart, you'll never know how much you will love a "not so perfect" child until you strecth youself and look with loving eyes and open heart at all the beautiful children we have in Ma. Every child I accept into my home is "not so perfect", and all of them ARE perfect!

Pam