[tattudemom]

We're STILL awaiting our actual written homestudy, which seems to be taking forever. Well, in the meantime, we have met a potential birth mom on our own and she's in another state. How likely is it that the state will allow our homestudy to be used towards ICPC in a private adoption, or do you think they'd feel we set them up to do the study for free only to then use it in a private means? We started out to do foster-to-adopt, which would take quite a while, and we were willing to accept that. But, we have been keeping our eyes open along the way. I had asked once if the state gave copies of the homestudy out and they said no, only giving it to other agencies who requested it. I asked about if I was willing to pay them for it and they responded that they don't accept payment. Until I'm 100% secure in the match, I don't want to hire a separate agency to do a study, but I'm wondering how the state will respond should an attorney approach them for my homestudy. The pbm is due in mid July and has done nothing in regards to preparation/attorney, etc. Any thoughts?

[sunsetsky]

wher are you? In Mass, I received my homestudy twice rough draft to edit and final copy...

[tattudemom]

I'm in Georgia. From the orientation until the end of May, which is when I was promised the homestudy would be done (after much complaining), it will have been seven months. I was placated by her telling me that most folks feel after all the time and effort that somehow things get done in their proper time once they get just the right child. That made me mad because I felt I was being told I'd get it when I got it, period. She was nice in her tone of voice, but there was the unsaid part that bothered me. I think that's ridiculous, and I believe they are dragging their feet with the people hoping to adopt versus the ones who are fostering only. That's how we ended up meeting up with this pbm. It's taken so long, I've been looking on my own. The way I asked about the homestudy initially didn't have so much to do with wanting to use it for other means, it was simply for my own desire to have a copy. I guess I was curious as to how we'd be described and just wanted to have one. I was told we won't get a copy, like I said, only those agencies who request it. I'm thinking they mean only if we inquired about a child in foster care from another state or something like that.

[sunsetsky]

It is a very interesting documents. I am glad I received a copy because their were things stated incorrectly and I didn't want them to use the full names of some of relatives. Privacy reasons. They agreed and used last intials. It was a little stressing all of your business laid out in a document. I would never want to go through that process again and I feel if you talk to the right person that will feel that way also. I would think it is your personal property.Just keep asking ... it can't hurt.

[tattudemom]

Thanks for your take on it. I guess I have to wait until the darn thing is completed before worrying about it.

[waited2long]

In Nevada we were told that the Homestudy can ONLY be used for Adopting from Fostercare, either locally or from other states.

The reason for this is the expense... The Government is paying the workers etc to license you, they do not want to do that if you are going to Adopt from someplace else.

I have heard that regular, non-Fostercare Homestudy's are very fast, but the costs can range widely.

[Mom2HunterL]

We foster and then decided to adopt domestically; therefore, we paid an independent agency (3 months after we had our fostering homestudy) $3,000 for another homestudy. Now, we are foster adopting and DSS is using our newest independent homestudy for the adoption since it is more recent than the one they did--the one I paid $3000 for so I guess I am saving the state money.

[tattudemom]

Well, the more I hear and read on information websites, I'm convinced we'll need to get an independent study. That is, if this works out, which I'm not 100% on at this point. Thanks for all the input.