[princesslandry]

Hi y'all. This is my very first post! I was wondering what exactly goes on at orientation? We are planning to go as soon as they hold the next one in our area. But I'd like to know a little about what happens so I can be prepared. =0) Thanks for any help. Heather

[LaNancy]

I am going to an orientation Dec. 19th..I would also like to know what to expect...can anyone out there fill us in?

[pookiesmine]

Here in Ohio, we have 24 hours of hearing the worst possible challenges of what we, as foster parents may face, (all the while not believing most of it,)

They give us a little on transcultural, some on attachment, a touch on discipline, on family life, on what the child is going through, what the birth parent is going through, how to be a team player.

They give us a little of everything, and we all smiled and nodded, like, yeah, we got it. And then we got our first kid, and wanted to do it all over again. What were we suppose to do about....?

In Ohio, they use teaching, group discussion, brain storming, activities. They also have current foster parents in there, getting a "refresher", and mixing with the newbies.

It was fun, you met people who you could turn to for support and respite, and no one minded going back over the rules, guidelines and/or policies.

Enjoy!

[princesslandry]

La,

I'm going on the 15th. Where are you from?

Pookie,

I surely will pay attention then. LOL I will take your word for wishing you paid more attention then and wanting to do it over. Thank you for the info. I am so excited and ready to go!

[LaNancy]

I am going to an orientation at Mission College, in San Fernando..it is 9:30 to 12:30...DCFS. When I called the "hotline" to register..I thought it was interesting that in addition to name/address/phone/....they wanted my birthdate and race. Why is that?

[princesslandry]

I am not sure why they ask you that but I can tell you I was asked all that and more.

Age?
Race?
Married? How long?
Hubbys Age?
Race?
Race of desired child?
Age of desired child?
Foster or Adopt?

Those are the questions I can remember them asking. Also my address and phone. Who knows why they want that?

[acgh2003]

Hi I am also adopting from California. I am going through San Bernardino County, the orientation was a one evening class. They introduced themselves and explained the process of foster care and adoption. The also gave us our adoption application. This you will want to fill out and send it back right away. Inside tip, be open to what you want, ask questions, be ready to wait. Do not start counting down the days until after you have your license in your hand. It will keep you from so much stress on the waiting game. You will go to an pride training class that is 30 hrs total spread out over two months. Be willing to drive. The classes are in different locations. We got involved with San Bernardino because we went to the classes there. We drove two hours 2 a week to attend classes. You are only allowed to miss one class. It however is one of the best classes I have ever taken. You meet wonderful people, and learn valuable things. If anyone has any questions you can email me at moran.family2@verizon.net. I will be happy to help you with any questions I can.... Good Luck

[princesslandry]

Acg,

Thank you for the information. I didn't know you start filling out the application right away. Is there anything I should bring to the orientation beyond a pen and paper? How do you keep from counting down the days until you get your liscence? LOL I'm open to suggestions b/c I'm already doing that and haven't even been to the orientation yet. Have you already adopted? It sounds like the classes are very similar to what we have here in La. they told us about two months worth. I am excited to get started. =0)

[LaNancy]

I was just re-reading this thread, and I realized I never mentioned I was in Los Angeles..DUH...sorry about the ommission..

Anyway..i am very excited about going to the orientation next Friday...unfortunately, my partner can't go..she has to work...but I will fill her in on everything.

PS: PRincess..since your orientation is on the 15th, a few days before mine..will you come back to this thread and tell us how it was and give us any info you can? thank you very much!!!

[princesslandry]

Okay this is how it went... The woman introduced herself and gave us her phone number and some handouts. Then she divided the orientation into two parts.. before break was fostering... after break was adoption... Fostering: She told us the reasons why children get placed in foster care and then went into detail about types of abuse and and gave specific examples which were a little rough to hear but expected. We were allowed to ask several questions. I specifically was interested in costs. There is no cost to be a foster parent or adoptive parent up to the point where you go to court to adopt. Then you pay court and lawyers fees. Then after the break she went into adoption. She told us about adoption laws. The law that says you can't be discriminated against because of your race through a state agency. (MEPA i think it is called) Then she passed out applications and explained how we were to fill them out. The application was 4 pages. Very short and sweet. We finished filling it last night and mailed it this am. We are going to be dually certified on the reccomendation of the instructor. I am very excited. We are hoping to get into the Feb. classes but if it is full we may have to wait on the summer classes. Wish me luck. Anymore questions and I will help all I can.

[All Boys]

I was just wondering if you had to wait long before you had your orintation? We live in a small town about (20,000) and I went and signed up in September and have not heard anything. Also did you have a homestudy done before the orintation or is that after??
Thanks

[LaNancy]

Princess..thank you for the info..I am looking forward to my orientation on Friday!

[princesslandry]

All Boys,

I called the adoption ppl and requested to find out when the next orientation was. I was told that they would send me a letter stating when and where the orientation was. I got the letter within two weeks. I strongly suggest that you call again and ask. All they can say is that they aren't sure yet. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I live in a small town as well. Be prepared to travel to the orientation and classes. I had to drive 45 mins, but it will be worth it! Okay about the homestudy. Here is the order in which things occur in Louisiana... First you go to orientation... You fill out your application and mail it in... You wait until you are notified that there is a vacancy in a class (we are hoping for feb.)... Then while you are going to the classes (10 wk. course only one night a wk.)... You are assigned a social worker... The social worker then makes appointments for the homestudy... She usually comes by 2-3 times and at least one of those occasions both potential parents must be present. So the homestudy occurs while you are in the 10 wk. classes. Hope I helped if you have any more questions... I'll answer.

LaNancy,

Have fun at orientation! Hope everything goes well. No prob on giving you info... like I said I'll help if I can.

Heather

[All Boys]

Princesslandry,
Thank you so much for the info. Here is what I did I went to the family services office and told them that we wanted to sign up for fosterparenting and adoption. I talked to a casewroker and she told me that she had to have at least 20 to 30 people signed up before they would start doing the homestudies, then after they did those they would start the classes, she never said anything about an orintation. She said that they had to have so many signed up, because they have alot of people sign-up that really don't know what is involved, and when they find out then they are not interested. So then it dwindles down to 5 or 10 couples, then they start the classes.
Anyway Thanks for the info..

[LaNancy]

Princess: thank you for the info..I was kind of confused about the home study and how that fit into the licensing procedures..now I get it..two more days till my orientation!!