[love4kids]

Hi All,
I was thrilled to find a site for foster parents and support. My husband and just completed our paperwork and start our 12 week informational sessions tomorrow night. The SW said the process should take about 2-4 months depending on how busy they are, but unknown on placement time frame. I have a few questions to ask and would love any information from foster parents going through the process!

How specific/strict are the SW on income? We are both teachers and make a decent amount of money, but it worries me how strict they will be.

We want to do foster/adoption, however I heard that it takes much longer to get placements? Is that true? Are the children usually young?

We are going the foster care route because domestic adoption/international adoption is just too expensive for us at this time. Is there anyone else that has felt this way and can relate? Was it the right decision for you? Or do you wish you would have adopted instead?

Thanks in advance for all your information and support!

[2boysandgrowing]

Hi I wish I could help you more but we are new to this also we have finished all of our classes and homestudys and just waiting for them to call and say that we are approved through the state which I'm hoping want be to much longer but good luck and I'm sure all of your ?s will be answered at the classes and if not dont be shy to ask because its your right to know

[mama2one]

Hi, I don't have the answers either but wanted to let you know you are not alone. I researched both domestic/international adoptions and the costs were just so outragous. We are in Kentucky and will be starting our mapp classes on monday the 26th. The classes here are 10 weeks and 2 home visits. They told me that the home visits are easy and they mainly check for safety issues, smoke detectors, etc. Home and auto insurance, reliable vehicles and so on. I am anxious to get started but scared that we will have to keep giving up kids instead of keeping them. DCFS told me that you can request only children that they forsee being adopted, strictly to foster, etc and that you pick what age group you are interested in and that you can refuse any placement they offer if you don't feel it is right without any recourse later on, like not being given placements.

Hopefully, our families will soon be on the road to being larger, noiser and child proof!!

[leaabc123]

Not sure about your state specifically but in our county in NY, all they wanted to know was that we could meet our monthly bills and have money for food, etc without depending on the monthly stipend.

We do foster to adopt also for similar reasons. We waited about 4 months for our first placement and after that haven't gone too long between kids. Our time between our first and second was about a week. After that we took a few months off when he left to grieve and now have the girls.

It is a tough process because you can and probably will get your heart broken at least once. We are trying to keep perspective with the girls as the process is taking a loooong time but it isn't easy, as the girls are becoming more attached everyday and visa versa.

good luck