[WorkingOnAFullHouse]

Back in April when we signed up for foster care, we signed up for Foster-to-adopt. Since then we have had some placements...

Presently 5yo girl that has just been diagnosed with RAD and will be going back to mom in March (99% sure)

5 month old boy- returned to parents in less than 14 days

Presently- 2.5 yo girl and her 8 week old twin sisters (the twins are in the hospital for abuse so severe, one has severe brain damage and the other one has major problems..on top of broken ribs and skull fractures on both) and we are being told they will be returning to family on the 19th of this month (so it will be less than 30 days with us)

When someone signs up for foster-to-adopt, shouldnt we be having placements that are going to be adoptable? It just seems like we are a revolving door and we are just a temporary home for these kids. Is this normal? or do you think they have us down for just fostering? Im just so confused.

[ouska]

I would talk to your SW. We have a foster SW and a adoption Sw. We have not had any placements yet. They know that our main goal is adoption.
Peggy

[DianeScraps]

We were foster to adopt and were very specific that the children needed to be very close to TPR with a lot of back up - it was still risky though

[lakin11]

Not sure where you are but our area doesn't really have a foster to adopt track. Its foster pretty much all the way. If you are a pre-adoptive home (which means you've taken the adoption classes and would like to adopt) they "can" place kids that might come up for TPR with you. You can ask for kids that are close to TPR but they will tell you here that they just never know. In our case, we are a pre adoptive home, but all placements are normal foster right now.

[sgtfirstwife]

Here you have to be foster before you become an adoptive home. Now we are a foster to adopt. At first we were placed with children who were going back to their parents. To be real honest, we were so excited at our first calls we would have said yes to anything. Now after several months, we told them no respite and only children who are tpr or are going that way. With infants we are willing to take a risk, but it is a big risk. Everybody loves babies.
So I would talk to your cw and clarify, we had to. You may not get as many calls, but at least the ones you get will be more set for TPR.

[stevenstwin]

I guess it is different everywhere. I know where I am, you have the choice to request ONLY very low "legal risk" placements. That means that you MAY still lose a child, but chances are much higher of getting one that is adoptable. It is worth speaking to your sw and stressing that preference. The WORST case scenario is that an adoptable one comes available and you can't take him if you are currently over your limit with temporary placements! I seem to recall that happened to someone on this board.

[TexasJingles]

We were lucky I guess. Our 1st placemtent, which we adopted, already had TPR's and was going through the appeals process. That's what we asked for, and we got it. Of course, that doesn't mean they didn't try to place us with others that we're that far along, but for some reason, those children just didn't fit our home.

I think sometimes we all say yes too quickly. It's really hard to say no to a placement possibility and we felt so guilty sometimes saying no, but in the long run, it was for the best. I know some couples that have waited a year for a placement (perhaps too picky? maybe?), and we waited just 6 weeks (seemed so much longer at the time though! ).

[WhoKnew]

We also asked for a 'very low risk' palcement, and that is what we got. I would make it really clear to the SW that your intention is to ADOPT, and ask for low risk placments.

[AmyAnne]

We were foster-to-adopt. We specified we would only consider children legally free for adoption. It took us close to a year to get a placement, but that was our own choice.