[msteen76]

Hello!! My husband and I, until very recently, were beginning to think about Int'l adoption. Due to travel/cost concerns, we have decided to do a domestic, possibly thru the state of CA. We've researched Int'l adoption thoroughly, but just didn't feel it was for us. Has anyone else adopted thru the state (any state) and how did the experience rate? BTW, we have 2 bio daughters, almost 3 years, and 15 months.

[claschober]

Msteen-

My dh and I are adopting through the state of California. It has been a bit of a slow process but we feel in the end it will definetly be worth it. We too were looking at an international adoption but for many reasons (one being money) we decided to go through the state. We started out a year ago and were so naive about everything. We have learned so much through our PRIDE training, other foster parents and doing research of our own. I am not sure where in CA you are but will give you a bit of a time frame as to what we have gone through:

02/04 - Orientation and beginning of process
06/04 - Finished PRIDE training and paperwork
10/04 - Got our Fostercare License to be a Fos/Adopt family
02/05 - Sw finally finished our Homestudy and we begin to wait some more

Best of luck to you and your family on your adoption journey!

Cindy

[msteen76]

We're in ctrl vly, fresno area. What age group are you trying to adopt? Does the state seem competent? Are you interested in special needs? Do you have to be foster parents first? We know nothing, as you can see.

[claschober]

Msteen-

We are in southern California and the impression that I have gotten is that the state takes longer for many reasons, with one being they have to cross all of their
T's and dot all their I's. The process is obviously longer than we would like, but know it's because they have to make sure all of the paperwork is done correctly.

We are willing to take up to 2 children 0-5 with mild/moderate special needs. We are a Fos/Adopt family and feel that is the best route for us to take. Our social worker asked us on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the parents rights are already terminated and 1 being the child is new into the system what are we willing to take. Since we are a Fos/Adopt family and not just foster, 1 and 2 do not apply to us on that scale. She also stated that in our county very rarely do they get any children that are a 5 on the scale and that the waiting list is much longer for those children. Our social worker stated most Fos/Adopt families are a 3 or a 4.

I would contact your county's department of children's social services and attend their orientation. I am not familar with what your county offers and what they encourage, but know Fos/Adopt is what our county pushes for.

Hope this helps a little,

Cindy

[MollyinSD]

I am in Southern CA. We had no children of our own when we started to adopt. Our wait was only 4 months for an infant. We did not care about race, we did have some concerns regarding drug use but were willing to look at everything on a case by case basis.

We borught him home 2 days after he was born and had to wait 30 days for the birthmothers rights to be terminated.

We were finalized in the courts at 6 months.

Molly