[kidfinder]

I have been selected to go to committee along with another family in the next couple of weeks for a 7 year old boy. Both of the families are from out of state and therefore are required to have our families presented to the committee via an advocate from the Boys and Girls center. Are there any suggestions on how to proceed with my interviews?

Thomas

[HappyMomAnna]

Only two families are going to committee? Usually there are three!

The boys and Girls Aide society are great people and very interested in doing the right thing for children!

I am sure you will have contact with your rep before the committee? Or at least I hope you do!

You may or may not know some of the customs the Oregon Committees are used to: One big thing is that in Oregon adoptive families are asked to make a "family' book to be looked at during the committee and then sent with the childs caseworker once a family is selected. The caseworker can give the child the book after the 7-day waiting period and the child will be able to look at your faces and start feeling he knows you!.
These books are supposed to be for the children however Oregon Families know these books do play a part in the committee!

The family books do not need to be eloborate at all--mostly pictures of your home, pets, and family. We actually took the story "This is the House that Jack Built" and rewrote it.

This is the house where your forever familiy lives.
This is your room instide the house where your forever family lives.
These are the cats that play in the room, inside of the house where your forever family lives.
This is the big sister with hair so long who feeds the cats that play in your room inside of the house where your forever family lives...... on and on....

Each page had a picture and we were able to introduce our home, the childs bedroom, the pets, the siblings and the parents in a story book. I just had the pages copied at a copy store and made a little cover and it was great! Our casewrokers says he uses our storybook as one of his best examples of the best way to do it.

Often a caseworker would also like to have a video of the family to take along to the child but, these are not usually viewed by the committee, however I have heard of it happening and f both families send one they may well view it.

In many cases especially when the child is older or has some special needs (in Oregon all children over one are called special needs.) The committee will allow a one page letter from interested families to be submitted. These letters give you as the hopeful family a chance to address the specific needs of the child as you know them and what you as the family think you have to offer to directly meet the childs needs. We used our one page to take some of our weakest points and parrell them into demonstrating we have understanding and compassion as weel as the skills to overcome in our personal life....

Those are a few first tips I have to offer--don't get all worried about the family book--but, I would get something together and send it off as soon as you know who your rep is going to be---If you have any other questions please feel free to ask here.