[tigger1]

Hi. I am trying to find out if people were happy going through the State in their Foster-To-Adopt program and what their experience was. My husband & I are currently with a private agency and thinking of switching with the State and going through their Foster-To-Adopt program. We are looking to adopt a child age 1-5.

We are not happy at all with our agency and found that the State first places the children with their State Licensed Families and then will look to agencies next. We feel going through the State would give us a better chance of getting matched up with a child.

I would love to hear from somebody who has actually adopted through WA State in their Foster-To-Adopt program or is currently in the process of "waiting" for their child.

Thanks!

[bumpkin]

Hi Tigger

While I have not yet adopted through the state system, I am in the process of my MAPP classes and homestudy in another state. I wanted to reply to your post because when I started this process and spoke to the State social service dept I talked at great length with the director. I wanted to make sure that it was likely we would be able to be matched with the age range children we wanted (also 1-5 like you).

She told me that when a child's case comes into their office they look first at their own prospective aparents, then they move to their co workers, then to a master board that lists all of the agency's aparents and then, and only then, and only then, to to the private "state" agencies. She suggested that although the MAPP classes that they offered were more inconvenient for us, and that we would have to wait amonth to start them, that if we wanted children that were healthy, young and with relatively minor issues we were much better off working with them directly. That many of these "types" of kids never make it to the private agencies. I certainly appreciated her candor and it does make sense that people would start with their own "sphere of influence' if you will and move out from that point.

Just thought that you might appreciate hearing this info. Good luck.

Bumpkin

[tigger1]

Thanks for the info, Bumpkin. I only wish we would have known the process that you found out and we just found out. I think you are on the right track going with the State Agency you live in. That's where the kids are. Good luck!

We started looking for an agency last August/September and thought we did our research. Several agencies told us not to go with the State as we wouldn't get the "personal" attention they could offer us. We got approved through our agency around Christmas and have been waiting and waiting for some profiles of children. We really have not received any to speak of.

I happened to find out last week the same info you did from a case worker from the State by talking to them. She told me they look really hard to find children a home within their own State licensed families within their Region and then the entire state. Only after exhausting their search do they go to the private agencies which is not very often. The kids are also much older that the agencies have access to as families in the State system adopt the toddler range kids.

Luckily for us, even though it is 6-7 months since we started this process, we have completed all the mandatory training that the State requires to get a foster care license. Our process to be approved by the State will still probably take 60 days waiting for clearances they have to re-run but we feel we are on the right track.

We are very disappointed with our Agency and feel they should have told us this information up front about the "small" pool of children that they really ever get b/c the State places most of the children within their own State-licensed families. Had we known we never would have paid their fee and now starting over with the State.

I would still love to hear from anyone who has actually went through the State of WA in their Foster-To-Adopt program and what their experience was, positive or negative.

[bumpkin]

Good Luck - I assume that you know the Washington waiting childrens' website. They do a beautiful job - love looking at the new pics - beautiful sib set of 3 boys under 6 I'd love to get my hands on!

Bumpkin

[Mom2Braxton]

Hi..
My name is Sarah and I live in Shelton.
In 12 of 2001, we adopted through the state. We were amazed at how simple and easy it was.
Even though, we adopted our grandson, we had to go through all the regular hoops everyone else has to except the waiting part.
I hope you find this useful..Usually the adoption is covered through the state. We learned amany things through this. There are a lot of children out there that need parents. I highly encourage it.

Sarah

[May4u2nvme]

Hello,

We are in the process of adoption through a private agency and their Washington state program. Basically its the same thing, we are in the state foster to adopt ptogram, but the agency handles the paper work, and liscensing for us. We are waiting to be matched, or find children to adopt. So far the process has been great, and really easy. We were able to take out classes wuickly and complete everything within a couple of months. I have noticed that there are not many single children under the age of five for adoption though. So you might want to inquire more about that. We too had wanted to start with a single healthy infant or young toddler, but are now looking at a sibling set of three young boys. We have opened ourselves up for many more idfferent options that what we thought we would accept since we first started. You have to try and keep an open mind about things. Lately we have even thought about starting with an older child (Around 8yrs old) just so we can get started, and then continue to try for a couple of younger children.
Well, good luck in your desiscion, and feel free to ask any questions you might have.

May