[myForeverkids3]

For those who have finalized:
How long was it from TPR to finalization? I know that once the kids are legally free for adoption we will be transfered to the adoptions unit. Our CASA just emailed me and said expect to finalize IN ABOUT A YEAR I just don't see why it should take that long. By the TPR trial in Aug, the kids will have been with us for 8 months. Why should it take a another year to do subsidy paperwork and get us a court date. I really feel like these kids need to KNOW that they have officially been adopted, They are old enough to understand and are excited about changing their last name. The school and drs offices and such will not change their name until we have paperwork so I constantly have to use their birth last name in front of them. I think it makes them feel like this is not a done deal yet, like we are not officially a family. Ugh Any suggestions on how to speed things up. Maybe I will call them everyday at the same time so they get so sick of hearing from me that they put the paperwork through to get rid of me? Just kidding

[Withay]

Every case is different. My cousin adopted a child who was already legally free. Had been for a year before placement with them. It took another two years to finalize.

I have a fs whom I am in the process of adopting. Voluntary surrender happened June 2008. We are finally getting close, but I imagine it will be a few more weeks at least.

Another friend just adopted a sibling group. It only took about 6 months from tpr to finalization.

You just can't tell how long it will be.

[shavon]

We have a TPR date set for august 17th. My caseworker said we only have to wait and extra 45 days after TPR. I guess if there are a lot of adoptions it may be a longer wait for a court date???

I dont understand why it would take up to a year.. I hope it goes quickly and smoothly for you

[greenrobin]

I'm in TX.

TPR was 3/2 this year. 30 days for mom to appeal. 60 more days for court to rule on it. Mom did not appeal, but the 90 days had to elapse before the kids were considered legally free for adoption. That brought us to 6/2. Then and only then could we begin the updates to our homestudy, the psych, medical and dental evals for the kids, move the files to the adoption unit, assign the adoption worker, commence with the reading of the HESEGH and case file, the subsidy pw, the adoption placement, and I know I'm leaving something out. Then the attorney got involved. He wrote briefs and whatevers. That could only be submitted to the court after the adoption placement papers were signed. That petition was sent to the court last Monday.

If all goes well, we'll finalize around the middle of next month.

There is a ton of stuff that happens before you can get to finalization. But the first thing you have to do is wait.

[myForeverkids3]

Greenrobin,
Thanks for the info. I know there are waiting periods for appeal. Thankfully the kids have already been with us for 8 months so we have already met the 6 months in placement waiting period. We will just rest easier knowing that it is done. They are going into 1st grade and will be starting to write their last name. I am going to talk to their teachers about writing their new last name instead of their birth name. I think that it would be a smoother transition that way. Other than that, the finalization is just for our peace of mind.