[blankeyquilter]

I am soooo running out of patience! We live in Lenawee County and applied for our foster care license in April 2004 with a private agency. All of the papers were in place and training completed by December 2004. We were told that there were ten families ahead of us in the process of writing the home study. In June 2005 we were contacted to let us know that we made it "to the top" of their list but our application had expired so we needed to reapply. Uggghhh!! An updated home visit was completed in June and we were encouraged to change our age range from 0 - 3 to 0 - 5, which we did. We were notified in July that my husband needed more training. (I completed my training in combination of in person and the internet. He was told he could completely train via the internet but the rules changed while we were waiting.) He completed the training the first week of August. Since I was thinking I was getting the "run around" I contacted our original worker I had and expressed my feelings to her. She told me that there was a slow down in children available because Michigan is broke and not pulling children because it costs money to place them in foster care and pay for their medical, etc.! She also told me that the children that they were getting were teenagers. I then received a call from our social worker that our medical info was too old. I had updated our medical in December 2004 but she did not have those forms. It is a good thing I keep copies of everything I give to this agency! She suggested that she needed to ask her partner if she had them and I told her that if she could not find them to let me know. I have not heard a word from her since. Tomorrow will mark three months since we got the call that we "made it to the top". I plan to call our worker tomorrow and get an update. Has anyone else had such a long wait? Do you think that it has to do with Michigan's finances?

[ALI143]

That's terrible that children are being left in abusive situations becauase of money; can't beleive they admitted it. That's really sad that you've waited so long! Sorry no advice on that,

[waiting home]

From what I understand, its not just the state that can fund the children. Federal assistance is available if the state cannot afford.

I've never heard of leaving children in abusive situations due to money. I wouldn't believe that.

In fact, I would suggest contacting the governor's office and getting it straight from the horses mouth and see what you can find out about your delay (and the agency). Maybe they can suggest a new agency for you too.

[momofmykids]

Doesn't make sense. Letting children be abused cause they can't afford them in care. That's ridiculous! Can you deal directly with your county/state DCS? I've heard these agencies aren't always the greatest to work with.

Contact somebody up the ladder. If they're really leaving kids in abusive homes, somebody needs to know that!