[redmocha]

Is anyone out there adopting in Georgia from the foster care system?

We are in the process of that now. Would like to hear any stories (even scary ones) about others' experiences with this.

Thanks,
JC

[jolean12]

We are in the process of adopting a child through DCFS. Although this is a child that was placed as a foster child at 1 day old and is now 2 1/2. We are so excited TPR occurred Oct 27, 2004 and we are in the process of our paperwork being sent to Atlanta to change our license status from foster, foster/adopt to adopt....although we are still foster parents.
Where in GA are you? Have you already attended IMPACT?

[redmocha]

What is IMPACT?
What is TPR?

We are about to complete our 3rd home visit next week.

What agency did you use to adopt and foster? Did you work directly with a county?

We are in Gwinnett. We are using Bethany Christian Services.
--JC

[dann]

We used Bethany, too. But, no luck and DEFACS ended up coming through for us. Also, check out Stepping Stones(therapeutic). My son actually came from there and he is just as normal as any other child..just needed stability. You can also use Stepping Stones to get your MAPP.

[redmocha]

How long ago did you try Bethany? We completed MAPP already - through them.

[dann]

We started with Bethany October of 2001. We finally got certified October of 2003. Our SW had not sent the proper paperwork to the state. And it wasn't realized until a child was picked for us and we found out then we weren't registered. It got finalized quick after that!
Be persistant as they are good but they have many many clients. How old of a child are you looking for?

[jolean12]

IMPACT is the new MAPP training. They have lowered the hours from 30 to 20. I do not know if this is a good or a bad thing.
TPR is termination of Parental Rights. Our daughter is now free for adoption We are trying to get this done as soon as possible.
We went through our county, Bibb. I have to say that the resource department has been great.

[Trhodes49]

My husband and I are waiting on the TPR for two children through DFCS. We are currently foster parents and did respite care for these two. We had to wait for the grandparents to decide whether or not they wanted the kids before the TPR could go through. We only have another month or so and then we can begin visits.

Hopefully, our foster son and daughter will be coming up for adoption soon and we are going to adopt them too.

Our experience with DFCS has had its ups and downs but in the end, I think, it has been worth it.

T.

[jolean12]

I am so happy that you will be able to adopt your respite care children and hopefully even your other fc What a full house you will have. We also wanted to adopt our respite care children but they were sent to another foster/adopt family. We were told when we asked that they had to be offered to 4 families that had been waiting for about 2 yrs (mind you they were all asking for infant and toddlers and they were 7 & 8)....we find out when we asked again they had been declined by all those families and a new foster/adopt family was given the option and they took them. We had been thinking of them often and hoping they were happy and then on Sunday we went to Zaxby's for lunch and they came in with their new family. They have grown so much but it was almost like they were unsure if they should talk??? We just pray everyday they are happy and well taken care of, because that is what they deserve.

[vannetta]

what should I do???help!!! I completed my mapp 12/04 and homestudy with the methodist home,which is a theraputic fostercare,great folks,but I changed my mind about the placement selected for me ,one because she threaten me and because she was a level 2,I believe she was a least a four.she had major isssues which didn't come out untill she was in my home for xmas holidays,untill then she was a sweet heart,then the closer it got to placement she really resented it . Her mom was her abuser which i didn't find out untill I read the case file at the last minute..She was a big girl 13 and she had a brother die in the care of her adopted mom,a swimming accident,I believe she has post tramatic stress and a lot of other things,they were so eager to get her adopted cause she had been in the home the longest, that I believe they looked over her ,because she is a good actress and manipulator,she appeared to have no problems,well in the end,I made the right decesion,but they really had nothing elses to do for me because I deceided to go to the state to foster (bibb county dyfacs)adopt and they had to send all my paper work to them,which they won't do again they informed me.Dyfacs workers are so busy and whren I finally got the worker supervisor that had my file she hadn't even read it!they lost interest in me when I said I wanted to adopt and tried to talk me into fostering only,they said with foster to adopt thereis a waiting list a year and most kids are legal risk,so where do I go from here? I have seen some kids on the state website that are legally free that I am intersted in,but I was told to go through Dyfacs!!! when i called and talked to a worker ,but I am already approved,is this the right information,what should I do? do i need dyfacs to adopt with an approved home study from the methodist home??? If I decide to foster they would have the kids here like yesterday! but I don't want children in and out of my home and its not good for the kids no stability. help!!!! l