[ahimsa]

Hello! My husband and I are currently adopting through DCFS (Fost/Adopt) in Los Angeles. Is or has anyone else done this. I would love to ask you about your experience. We are approved for our homestudy, but feel like social workers are dropping the ball with placement and returning calls. I would love to hear what other experiences people have had. Thank you!

[bbonnie]

My husband and I are also fost adopting. I sent you a pm if you want to chat more. We were placed with an infant a few weeks ago. Is anyone else also fost-adopting an infant in LA? I have lots of questions and would like some feedback. Please pm me.

[BRIASMOM]

I'm also trying to adopt through LA or San Bernardino Cty DCFS. I went a different route. I'm a certified Foster parent, but paid to have an independent adoption home study completed by an agency, because I found a child on CAKids Connection, and have made inquiries about adopting the child, but have gotten stalled because my homestudy isn't done yet. With 3 weeks or less left to go (prints and abuse index back already), I'm getting frustrated that I can't make sincere inquiries about this child.

Has anybody been stalled by state sw? Because I had an independent home study done, I don't have a social worker that works on my behalf... so I've been trying to get my foster worker to make inquiries, but they're not vested in the process either because they're foster-only, and this child is up for pure adoption. Can't I foster him if he's in a group home, as I wait for homestudy to complete for adoption? help?

[SheldeMuse]

I totally relate to your impatience (both of you, scottandjoc and Briasmom) those of us waiting to adopt seem to have the most bizarre path to the finish line.

Briasmom, just be patient. They aren't going to move an adoptable kid to a new foster home. Remember that when they try to match you, they are supposed to use all those details in your homestudy. If they tell you that you weren't a match, it might be that the child has an issue that you checked "will not consider". Don't let it eat you up... that's why we fill those forms out ahead of time.

My own experience (with OC) is that they have staffing problems due to 3 years of squeezed budgets and hiring freezes. They have to keep the child's worker group staffed, because the kids keep coming. Staffing the applicant worker group is last priority.

I understand from a conversation with my worker's supervisor that staffing is so low and morale so bad that workers aren't going to be reprimanded for just being slow or flakey. So take careful notes of conversations, and follow up with the workers at appropriate intervals (whatever they committed to, plus a week?) Unfortunately the squeeky wheel gets the grease, it is just a matter of managing to stay cheerful and polite when squeeking.