[L8ebug]

My husband and I have been going through the red tape to be certivied adoptive parents since October of last year. We finished all of our parenting classes in February and finished our homestudy the first part of this month. My husband and I found children that absolutly touched our hearts in a photolisting in the northwest adoption exchange. We immediatly notified our adoption specialist with DHS, Because the northwest adoptions exchange said that the information on these children can only be exchanged through the social workers. I gave our social worker all the info I had and waited. Well that was almost two weeks ago and I have not heard a peep back. I have called, emailed, left voice messages and nothing. I am concerned because when I talked to my social worker about them she sounded a little disgruntled because they are not from OUR state. She has not responded to me at all, and I am afraid that she did not submit our homestudy, and soon they are going to stop taking homestudies for these children and decide on a family from the ones they have. Any suggestions on what I should do will be greatly appreciated!!!
Thank You

[bumpkin]

Oh the waiting must be so difficult. I'm afraid I can't give you any practical advice from experience, but it sounds like you are waiting for your sw to give the info to the other sw. Have you tried giving the childrens' worker your sw info and maybe if prompted by a request she would move on it? My DH and I are still taking MAPP classes, so we are behind you in the process but love to hear how the process works. I have also read that some states/counties expect you to work with "their" children for 6 months or a year before looking at other states. Had your social worker mentioned anything like that? Maybe she could clarify the process for you.

I know it is hard when you look all over the country at photolistings, it's so easy to fall in love! Are you looking at a sib group or an individual child?
Best of luck.

bumpkin

[L8ebug]

bumpkin,

The problem is that Oregon the state the children are in..A sibling group, will not disclose any info to waiting parents therefore we have no way of getting our info to them without going through our social worker. There is something about these children..I can't give up and it is frustrating. My social worker knew that I was searching national photolistings when she gave us the initial adoption application, and nobody has said we have to search for any time period in our state. I don't mind looking in our state but when your heart is pulled in one direction why can't she help facilitate this. I don't mean to be a downer on the process. When we were in the classes we were so excited and still are, we just feel very helpless at the point.

[bumpkin]

LeBug

I'm sure the frustration is great, especially now that you are officially "ready". I'm guessing that if they did not mention it to you that they do not have the restriction. I have heard others talk about it though... California I think has this, don't know what state you are from.

I hope you hear soon...

Bumpkin

[jamie3]

I would definitely contact their caseworker who will contact your caseworker probably the same day. Their worker is trying to get the kids placed and has the greater incintive to get the ball rolling.

It sounds like you are moving at the usual pace. It took us 6 months from the time we started classes until the time we were matched with our kids.

Try not to freak out. When you get the kids you are meant to have, you will know why everything worked out the way it did.

[Waiting_Family]

I love that Northwest Adoption exchange board; don't you?

It has been almost 2 years since we first took our orientation class; and my experience with the photolistings has been....I don't look anymore. I get too hooked on the photos, they call to me, and not one has worked out. I have a private agency, but am going to adopt a foster child from my state, as I think that will be easier (visiting, etc).

When I have asked my worker about the photolistings, I have been told that many times they are not up to date; the children are not available; or the kids have many special needs.

We have had our homestudy submitted much more by going to our agency and looking through the "books" at the "child availables", and telling our worker which kids we are interested in. Lately, our worker has been calling us on kids that aren't even in the books yet; one child hadn't even been placed in foster care yet, the county was looking for a prospective adoptive home before they removed her. As we have gotten to know our worker better, she has been sending out our homestudy more.

I'm sorry that your worker has not even responded to you; at least to say that they don't deal with out of state children, or that they won't get paid by the other state, which could be the case. Be polite and friendly, but persistent. Go to adoption fairs and adoption picnics to get to know the workers at your agency. Good luck, and I hope things change for the better for you soon!

[BusyMama]

That has also been my experience with photo listings. I have submitted our homestudy only to find out that the child MANY submitted for them, and that was just in my own state. Sometimes the SW get overwhelmed with homestudies, especially if the kids are younger and have little or no special needs.

The photolistings are sometimes out of date. We fell in love with one only to find there were visits already started with another family. Good luck. We are foster to adopt in our county and after 2 years and a few legally at risk kids we have one adoption in the works.