[Victoria Lane]

We are fostering to adopt a wonderful little girl. She's 7 years old. She has lived with us for 11 months. She lived with her previous foster family for 10 months. She has been in and out of the foster system her whole life. She lived in her birth mothers care for a total of only 2 years out of the 7 years. She has not seen her birth mother for over a year. DCF hasn't known where her birth mother is for over a year. When we went to court in Jan. 2005 for a judicial review it was ordered that they file for TPR. The birth mother hasn't shown up for court in over a year. We went again in July 2005 for another judicial review. TPR had not be filed, nor had a diligent search been done for her birth mother. So the judge again ordered it to be done. Today we had our monthly visit from our cw. (4th case worker for her in 11 months) I asked her when she thought that the adoption might be finalized. She said that it would probably take another 6 months or so before TPR and then about a year and a half to two years after that. OMG.... Is that true? Could they really take that long to finalize this adoption? So about 3 more years from now, if we're lucky? I don't want to be in limbo that long. I'm outraged. I want to contact government officials. Who do I contact, and how? Does anyone have any advice? Am I over reacting? Does it always take this long? This child wants to be adopted. She wants to know this is forever. Why does she have to wait another 3 years? I understand we have to make sure everything is handled as far as the TPR. I understand this is a difficult process, but if the birth mother can't be found or doesn't want to be found then why after waiting for all the procedures to TPR does this child have to wait another year and a half to two years to officially be part of this family. Help me understand please. I don't want to feel sick like this for 3 more years. Thanks for listening. If you have any ideas on who I can contact please let me know.

[mckenna]

i think you might be in florida, but not sure. anyway, the florida systems has many many flaws (to say the least) but i don't really understand why it will take so long from tpr to finalization. i understand they have to puiblish for bparents to tpr as they are not present to serve tpr papers, but they should only have 60 days to respond before tpr is granted, once granted they should only have 30-60days to contest the tpr and after that you should be able to adopt. at least that is how it is here. good luck. i know your daughter would love to feel secure in her family and i hope she gets that sooner than later.

[Victoria Lane]

Yes, Mckenna we're in Florida. I'm so distressed for many reasons, but this little girl was 5 years old when she entered the system "this time". And she could be 10 years old before we can adopt her. This doesn't make sense. I said one of our cw's said it would be 3 to 4 months after the time for appeal on TPR has been compleated. This case worker said our first cw didn't know what she was talking about. It would be at least 1 1/2 years after TPR. I want to write Jeb Bush I think and see if someone in his office can explain this.

[jojobear]

There are many many families in the same situation as you are in. We happen to be one of them. Our fs is three years old he has been with us since he was 17 months old. All visitation and contact and all parental rights have been terminated that was about a year ago. Still no adoption? WHY you ask, well the parents who one is in prision and one is missing filed an appeal over 6 months ago and so it sits and waits for decision.

So you wonder if there missing in action how come we haven't gone forward. Well the attorney was hired well appointed because one could not be afforded.

Latest news is it could sit in the appealate courts for another 6-9 months before they decided if they will hear anything on it. Then it could take another 9-12 months if they decide to hear the evidence.

So yeah Florida's system is messed Up.

jody

[Victoria Lane]

Jody,
So do you ever relax? Are you ok? I'm lossing my mind now. As of now birth mother hasn't made any appeal, but we also haven't had TPR yet.

[radkat]

Wow, it really shouldn't take another year or so after TPR to finalize unless the biofamily appeals. They should get 30-60 days after the TPR to request an appeal. Then it's just a matter of hiring your lawyer and getting a court date.

Our timeline was....
TPR- December 2004 (Uncontested)
Adoption July 2005
and the only reason it took that long was because I made an error on some paperwork.

I guess it also depends on how backed-up the system is (or rather...how backed-up the caseworker is)

Good Luck to you and your family,
Kathy

[jojobear]

Victoria,

Do we ever relax? Yes we do because we know the longer he is in our home the better standing we have. Right now he has been in our home longer than with any bio family member. So that stands for something.


Like I said in May of 2004 his bio mom surrendered all rights and went back to jail.
In Jan of 05 dad was TPR and appealed and now we are just waiting for that.

But for the time being we just hang on and pray

Jody