[Opus]

Danielle,

I don't know the exact answer to your last question - it may differ agency to agency. However, at one time my wife and I considered international adoption and the agencies we contacted required a separate homestudy.

The majority of kids in the MARE listings are older and are considered by DSS to be the hardest to place.

As far as interstate adoption goes there are quite a few web sites out there that contain national registries of waiting children (usually state by state, similar to the MARE listings). Unfortunately I can't recall the exact sites but if you do a web search I'm sure you'll come up with some.

I hope that helps - good luck...

[dadfor2]

lets keep this simple

you can adopt any child you want as long as the social worker feels you are a good match for the child.

THe first thing you need to do is go to MAPP trainings and get your approved homestudy.

during the mapp training, you might decide that your not ready to adopt a child, if you feel your ready, all your questions will be answered.

never settle for a child that you do not want or not looking for,once your homestudy is approved, the workers will talk about different kids, and different characteristics of what your looking for.

Try to stay away from pictures and just read about them, about why they ended up in DSS anyway. (the paperwork will give you a decription of child). This way you can try to make a rational decision. IF your still interested in, then look at the picture. Sometimes seeing a face, can distort your objectivity. Once you see the picture, your screwed, so be very careful.

You can be very clear on what specific child you are looking for, and this will come up with the homestudy.

SO, my suggestion is call and find out when the next MAPP classes are. There you will find out everything you need to know.

good luck...oh,by the way, satisitcally, the children who are not legally free yet to be adopted, their parents are put on service plans, if they dont follow through, they lose thier rights. And i hate to say this, most parents cannot follow through. It is a tough period, but most parents can not seem to do it. they have to go through parental classes, drug rehabs, etc. etc. etc. pending on the reasons. There is a time limit, and i believe its one year in MASS.

IF your real worried, then you can always get a child thats already freed, and you wont have to worry about them taking them away, but this is usually not infants or really young toddlers.

To be adoptive parents, when your child is identified, the child leaves the foster home and enters your home, you are called 'pre-adoptive placement' (before legal adoption). The child needs to be in your home for about 6 mo to see if its working. This is to protect you and the child. AFter 6 mo, if your still interested in adopting this child, then you can legalize it. Again, thats if the child is legally freed for adoption when he enters in your home.

good luck, its a great journey, you will learn so much.

dadfor2