[kmh112960]

Anyone here from Alameda County? We are fost-adopting through them. So far, so good, although took 17 mos. to get our license.

k.

[ljl]

Oh my god! 17 months! that seems really long. I am trying to get a foster care liscense for medically fragile infants and eventually adopt and I was not given the impression at all that it would take that long. It has been 7 months since I turned in every thread of paperwork they asked for. I just had my house approved, but now I am waiting for the homestudy. Originally they told me the homestudy needed to be first so the person responsible for the house inspection was waiting for the person responsible for the homestudy and vice versa... it seems the people involved were not informed of the change in procedure! I was actually in contact with them every other week and they still did not realize my application was in limbo.

I am very interested in how the process went for you and what took so long.

I'm glad to read that things are going well now.

ljl

[kwene2421]

I am in San Joaquin County, & from start to finish, it took 7 weeks, & on the 8th week there were children in my home.

Are you going through the county, or an agency?

I a now currently working on the adoption side of it trying to adopt the 6 month old in my home. I was told that If I did my part they (the agency ) could get everything down w/i 3 months.

Carrie

[ljl]

I am going through the county (Alameda County). I started with an agency-A Better Way- I really like that agency, but I want to have medically fragile infants so I went through almeda county thinking that it makes more sense to go through a program specifically focused on that population.

8weeks! That's amazing. It just goes to show, all the extended waits have to do with organization and procedure, the social workers handling licensing are not the ones with huge case loads.I would'nt mind the wait at all if I thought they were actually checking out my fitness as a parent. I don't think they can be too careful with these children who have already been through so much, but they are not checking me out, they just don't seem to have a clear system for proceding. I don't understand why they cant give me a clear time line. In my MAPP class they gave us a diagram showing the steps a child's case goes through once they enter the system and the timelines. Why can't we know what is going on?

What is your child/children like? How is it "after the placement"?

LJL

[kmh112960]

Hi there. Here was the timeline for our foster-adoption licensing: We took the MAPP classes beginning Sept. 2001 and had a couple of home interviews and got paperwork in by about November. Then our SW took a new position and we waited for a new one till about March. (not positive of the month there) We had our last interview with her in May and she finished writing up the homestudy in about August. Since her supervisor was out on a leave of absence, she had to give our homestudy to an interim supervisor to review and sign. Well, that took about 5-6 weeks and she made corrections to every page.

Then the homestudy had to be retyped and sent back to the interim supervisor again. (This was on about Sept. 26, '02) He/She did nothing with it after that and when the original supervisor came back on Oct. 14, she received the homestudy and that took forever to be signed. I didn't even know who she was. I only have contact with our social worker. She had said that the interim supervisor had a double caseload since the orig. one was out on leave and now that she's back, the original social worker had a backlog of work. We had our final licensing home visit in December and were licensed that day but didn't get the certificate for a month or so.

We were in the running for 2 girls (separate kids) and got passed over them. Then we heard through friends about our baby (she was in a foster home). WE called our social worker and and 2 1/2 mos later we got our daughter home! There were twists and turns in that aspect of the process too and it was very frustrating, but I would still recommend this process to anyone but just tell them that it could take LOTS of time and that it is frustrating and doesn't always seem fair. There are lots of great kids out there waiting for homes and to be loved.

kmh112960@aol.com

[ljl]

Thanks for that Information. I was not given the impression at all that the process could take so long. In my classes they continuosly stated that the real wait was on us. Once we got all the paperwork completed, they could proceed with the licensing.

I didn't realize the social worker responsible for the homestudy made multiple visits to the home. That makes sense. I thought the home inspection was the only visit. Is there a specific number of visits required or is it at the discretion of the worker doing the homestudy?

[kmh112960]

LJL, Our social worker came out twice to our home (maybe 3) and then the previous SW came out once. So you've had your paperwork in for 7 mos and no visits yet? That's not good! Have you called and checked up with your social worker? It is SUCH a frustrating process! Who is your social worker? You can email me privately if you want, that might be better.

Kathy

[kwene2421]

When I 1st started, I signed up with a foster agency, not knowing all the rules & regs. from the county. The agency I was with only was able to see that I had a degree in Early Childhood Education & psch. & that I was living in a 4 bdrm house by myself. I was being offered children b4 my prints ever came back. I was told that they were trying to rush so they could get a sib. group of 5 into my home.
My prints came back about 3 weeks later, & I did respite for the 1st 2 weeks, as well as taking on a special needs infant.
I now have 5 children, a sibling group of 3(10, 5, 4), they have been with me for 4 months, the newborn is still with me (soon to be 6 months), and about 3 weeks ago, I recieved a call stating they had to take another Foster Family's licsense away & they needed immediate placement for 4 kids. I took in an 8 yr. old girl (most difficult so far)
The last 2 months, I have been looking into adopting the infant, since his parental rights are being term. I have hit brick wall after brick wall with the county. So I am now in process of transferring to a foster to adopt agency. (just waiting on those fingerprints to transfer over)
I have been told by The 2 SW's that the kids can transfer agencies with me, since it isn't in their best interest to move homes.
After placement, purely depends on child, and situation. I know our tough times usually follow a visit with the Bio-parents. With the infant, I have a great relationship with the Bio-family, The sibling group, I am looked @ as if I have stolen her babies (as well as some rude comments)
Hopefully 1 day see will see that they are being nurtured, feed, going to school, have clothes on their back, are lice free, and are finally being able to enjoy being children.

Carrie

[ljl]

I am in awe of how disjointed and unclear the process is. I did have one person come to do the home inspection and I am approved for 2 children pending the completion of my home study.
At the visit the inspector brought additional paperwork they wanted because somewhere in my application I put that I would consider adoption if that option came up and the child seemed a good fit. So....I had to get another physical and fill out a more in depth report regarding my health. There were a few other forms, like a picture of my son and the child's autobiography which weren't in my original packet or are specifically for adoption not foster care. Anyway, I got all that in, and more. Copied it at the office, sealed a manila envelope, put my case number, the worker who came to my house, and my name all over it and handed it to a secretary who seemed competent. Two weeks later (although I did call right away to say that I had dropped off the paperwork) I get a call that it has never been found! Today, I call and talk to the person who should have received it and asked if he had talked with the receptionist. He said I dont have a receptionist. He said, which floor? I said I think the second floor. Where is the reception area for children and family services? He said, I don't know, I'm on the sixth floor. He then said unconvincingly that he could try to find out!

I'm flabbergasted. If he is not in, who does the paperwork go to to get to him????

It reminds me of when it had been 5 1/2months and I had been calling every 2 weeks for about 21/2months asking who was doing my home study and when was someone going to come to inspect the house. They kept telling me that they can't come to inspect the house until they receive the homestudy. Finally, in frustration I called the supervisor and she said , no you must do the inspection before I can authorize the homestudy!!!

I asked why I had been told for 21/2months the opposite. She said the policy had been changed, so I said, why wasn't the person holding my application informed and she said they are in another building across the street. My god!! No wonder these kids are in crazy foster homes (I'm doing respite for the county and it ain't pretty) only a crazy person can deal with that kind of answer.

Anyway, thanks for your reply and I will email you at home with more specifics and maybe you can help me strategize.

[kmh112960]

Hi there, was just wondering how it's going with your licensing process. Anything happening yet? Let me know!

My e-mail is kmh112960@aol.com

Kathy