[My PoohBear]

O-kay I know some sw have heavy case loads, some don't and they can get pretty busy. How often did you call your sw? I was thinking every two weeks just to keep in touch and to make sure she has everythink from us that she needs. Or is that too often? I don't wont to be a pest but I don't wont to be ignored or forgotten. I want to have a good relatinship with my sw because she's there (in our lives) from start to finish.

[jenna202]

Where are you in the process? Is your home study complete? Are you searching for a match now? Do you already have a placement? Where you are in the process really dictates how often you have contact with your social worker.

If you have a completed home study and are searching for a match, I would have weekly check-ins with the social worker - a 5 minute phone call is fine. And of course call whenever you have a change in your life/family that will impact the home study - it will need to be updated.

[My PoohBear]

We've had our first visit and she has turned in a summary of that visit. We have to wait until the board gives us the ok before we can continue the home study and take our MAPP classes. I'm not sure how long it takes for the board to make there decision. There are other things we could be doing in the meantime. Things like the physical and finger printing.

[zookeeper]

My husband and I are in the process of adopting as well. We've had a homestudy for 6 months now. We have had several problems with our sw and it makes for an already anxiety producing experience even worse. I'm no expert but if I knew then, what I know now and was starting the process I'd ask for a small block of time, either on the phone or in person to ask your worker a few things:
1) Is she the same worker who will be working with you start to finish? 2) Ask her what a reasonable time is for checking in with each other. True they are busy, but you deserve a small chunk of there time, ask her what she feels is reasonable and then stick to it. 3) Ask her after the homestudy is complete, how will they match you with a child? Do they encourage you to get involved with the process or do they expect you to let them do it? We thought we were clear on this point and it has caused constant problems for us. 4) Are they open to out-ot-state adoptions?

You are still very early in the process and I don't want to discourage you, but unfortunately, in this process you will have to do alot of waiting. It is frustrating for us who are waiting and it doesn't seem to make sense, but we haven't found a way around it yet. If you do, let us know! Also, again I don't want to discourage you but something no one told us was, we will be turned down for kids. Those who have been through the process before probably laugh at the obviousness of this but no one told us. We have not been chosen for 3 boys now and 1 sibling group. It is frustrating. Every county, every state and every sw does things differently. This isn't for the faint of heart, but we stick with it as we believe that there is a child(ren) out there who would make a great addition to our family and who needs us as much as we want them. Hope this helps.

[tayloire]

Here's my two cents worth! My husband and I went through an agency and rarely called them. I just didn't want to be a pest. I'd e-mail occassionally and went by the office to visit a few times over a period of 2 years. Well, the two years went by and we weren't chosen by a birthmother and they dropped us. (we're in the process of getting our homestudy updated and going to other agencies). In talking with a social worker recently at another agency, we asked her if our lack of contact with the other agency might have been a factor. She said "possibly". She even told us it's best to call at least once a month. It keeps your name fresh in their minds for one thing!