[Kirlaskia]

My husband and I are looking into adopting a 12-year-old girl from Idaho, and we are wondering how the process from adopting there, when we live in Washington state, works? What are the usual timeframes, etc? How do 'weekend' visits work? How to visits in general work?

Thanks!

[minibus]

In my experience (not yet an adoptive parent, but I worked in foster care for several years), there are usually a few in person visits, but not nearly as many as when you and the child live closer together. I've seen it vary WIDELY from caseworker to caseworker (in once case, a family from South Dakota spent one weekend in Seattle and met a sibling group, and then the girls went to live there a couple of weeks later) both in terms of vists and the timing of the process. It will also depend on the ICPC (the agreement between states to place the child outside of the state). I've seen it happen much more quickly with older children whose parental rights have already been terminated, than with younger children. I would talk to the girl's social worker and get a feel from him/her. (All of this is assuming that the child is in state custody, rather than a private/agency adoption). Best of luck!