[Angelnetty]

Has anyone (or know anyone) who adopted through Northwest Adoption Exchange? I really like the information that I have found on their website..

[teacher-mom]

I have adopted from NWAE, a pair of siblings in 2003. A friend of mine just adopted 3 children found on NWAE last year. Washington and Idaho give very good information and seem to return messages, etc. Oregon will only talk to your caseworker so is more difficult. There is also a special list of special needs children who allows you to just send your home study directly to them for consideration. I am currently adopting a 9 year old in Washington. Hope this helps. Ann

[joskimo]

In Sept. we were matched with a 7 y.o. boy on NWAE (AK) and he will be placed this month with us. I've also heard OR is more difficult than WA.

[Angelnetty]

Thanks! I know that it is premature but I found a little girl on their website that I have already told my husband that is nearly perfect for us. The only problem that I can see is (of course) she's in Oregon. I've been reading up on Oregon and both of your posts' confirmed that Oregon is one of the hardest states to adopt from... :-(

[Barksum]

I live in OR and didn't have a problem adopting here.

Seriously, though, they only do worker-to-worker contact. It can be a pain and slow things down, but it doesn't mean it is impossible. If you are interested have your worker email. If a child is on the web page it means they are recruiting from a wider pool because for whatever reason they've not found an adoptive match with local recruiting.

I have adopted out of state and the ICPC went really quickly. Not sure if I just had good workers, or if it was expedited due to the adoption being a relative placement or what, but it was fast. Came back to add that this is only pertinent in that I don't think OR tends to drag heels on the ICPC stuff. I've known of two other families living in other states who've adopted from OR . Both families seemed to not have great difficulty in the process.

You should also be aware that OR matches children with adoptive families via a committee process. The committee will consist of 3 people who will hear from your worker and up to two other families' workers who will each give a presentation on why their family would be a good match for the child. Getting a committee date can be a pain because you have to get several people all together at the same time, and sure as shooting there are conflicting schedules all over the place. On the up side, the committee will make the decision that day and your worker will know who has been selected as the adoptive family when the meeting is over.

If your family is the family selected then the child's casefile will be given to your worker to go over with you. There is a one week mandatory waiting period during which you will go over the file and determine if you wish to proceed with the match. You may not contact the child during this week, but often permission to contact the foster family is given. (It just depends, case by case basis, but it is common to have contact during that time with the foster parents, but NOT THE CHILD.) After the one week waiting time is up contact is initiated with the child. Transition plans are worked out between your, your cw, the child's cw, and the foster family, and any therapists who are working with the child. ICPC has to be completed before the child goes to your home, and I think OR does require that the adoptive family have a foster care license as well. Something to double check into if you don't currently have a foster license. This is the way it was still being done with our last adoption but there may be new laws/administrative rules/policies in place that have changed the process.