[Archive]

Originally Posted By Brenda

We have 3 sons, ages 6, 4 and 2 and are hoping to adopt 1-2 daughters through the "state" system. After a frustrating year of delays and incompetence with the local DSHS, we are researching AAI. Would love to hear some feedback from those who've worked with them...is it impossible to have a daughter, 0-5 yrs of any race placed with us within a year?!

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Heidi

Hi, we our foster and adoptive parents. Our homestudy
was prepared by AAI. They seem really great. As far as
an answer to your question, we are wondering the same
thing! We would like to adopt another child, either sex, any race, ages 5 and under.
Have you looked at their website? It explains the
adoption program for washingtion state. I think it
said for a child under 5, wait averages 6 months, for
kids older they wait is even shorter

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Alana

My sister in law adopted two Korean kids from there, if it's Adoption Advocates. This was years ago, but it was a good experience for them. Happy.

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Tonya

We are currently working with AAI and they have just finished our homestudy. I have not heard anything yet but we are hoping to adopt a 5-6yr old boy or girl. Will keep you posted. As of right now they seem to be nice.

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Tonya

Brenda
Send me a line at brooklyn20510@yahoo.com and let me know how it is going

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Misty

WE did adopt thru AAI from the WA Foster system. Our social worker was great from AAI. It took 9months after the paperwork was in. Then one year for our son to be legally free to adopt. We were liscensed to be foster parents so he lived with us in the waiting period. Everyone was very helpful.

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Cindy

Tonya,
We are currently working with AAI. Have you adopted yet? I hope you have had a placement. We have liked working with the workers at the agency. Now we are just waiting.

[tigger1]

Hi. My husband & I started the process of adoption last August, 2003. We decided to go with a Private Agency b/c they told us we would get more specialized attention & they could find us the child we wanted whereas the State CWs are so busy they can't give us the individual attention like they can. We were told this by many Agencies that we checked into.

We are looking to adopt siblings ages 1-5 or a single boy or girl. We took all of our training for our Foster License and were approved this last Christmas. We have not been happy w/ our Agency b/c we don't feel they are sending enough profiles out and where are the children we keep asking? They keep telling us to look at NWAE or web sites but these children tend to have a lot more issues than we wanted.

I'm not sure how AAI works but I assume this goes for them as they are a Private Agency. I talked to numerous State CW's directly to find out more information on foster-to-adopt through the State of WA. After I heard how the process works no wonder the time is so long for Private Agencies and the children tend to be older. They are really not in the "first pool" for the children. WA State is finding familes for their kids and Private Agencies are trying to find kids for their families but unfortunately they don't have a very big pool to pick from.

When I child gets placed from the State it goes into an immediate foster home. After 90-120 days if it is leaning towards TPR the child is then placed w/ a foster-to-adopt home that is licensed with the State or maybe the current foster home wants to adopt them. CW's only look at their State licensed familes first and then and only then do they look to Private Agencies. 90% of the kids are placed with State licensed families. Private Agencies charge a fee when the child is placed costing taxpayers money. Toddlers are usually placed with foster-to-adopt state licensed families and the older children or toddlers with a lot of special needs that can't get placed with the State go to Private Agencies and then NWAE.

I am just telling you what I found out. I only wished I had known about this last August. My husband and I are now trying to get licensed with the State and feel like we are starting at the beginning again. We have all of our training done but still need to wait for their clearances which could take 60-90 days. We are so frustrated.

Any one who is thinking of using AAI or with them might want to ask AAI how they find out about their kids. I know they go to consortiums that each Region has in WA but those kids aren't able to be placed with State licensed families so then they look to Private Agencies.

I would love to hear from someone who has gone through WA Foster-To-Adopt & their experiences!

[Darci]

I would really like to reply to this post...I used AAI. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about how much I can say about an agency before my post gets deleted. Anyone that wants info about AAI and the way they work is more than welcome to email me.

[Edited To Remove Agency discussion]
Don't assume so much about how agencies and the state work.

Darci

[tigger1]

Hi, Darci:
This is my second attempt at replying so hopefully it will go through this time.

Thanks for the reply back. I was not trying to discredit AAI as an Agency, I was just stating what I found out from CWs from the State. We are very frustrated with our Agency as we have paid them a fee and feel they have gotten us nowhere.

I would love to hear more about your experience with AAI and the process you found they went through once you were "waiting parents". Maybe they have an inside track with the CWs with the State that other agencies don't have. I know that the CW from the State told me AAI was at all of the consortiums fo the regions.

I would love to hear from you. We are so frustrated and confused on what to do now. We know we are not going to use our Agency anymore as we have no confidence in them. We feel like we are back at the beginning starting all over and have wasted 6 months of our time with this Agency. We have an approved homestudy and done all the foster licensing training so maybe if we went with AAI it would be faster to make the switch.

You had stated to email you but couldn't find where your email was. If you are willing to chat I would love to hear from you. My email is maxum27@msn.com

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon!

[tigger1]

Hi, Darci:
This is my second attempt at replying so hopefully it will go through this time.

Thanks for the reply back. [Edited To Remove Agency discussion]
I would love to hear more about your experience with AAI and the process you found they went through once you were "waiting parents". Maybe they have an inside track with the CWs with the State that other agencies don't have. I know that the CW from the State told me AAI was at all of the consortiums fo the regions.
[Edited To Remove Agency discussion]
You had stated to email you but couldn't find where your email was. If you are willing to chat I would love to hear from you. My email is maxum27@msn.com

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon!

[elismommy5]

Im thinking about AAI too, and i would love to hear from anybody who has had an experience with them.

[jen1mac]

We are in the process of adopting a baby girl through AAI. She came into our home when she was 2 weeks old. [Edited To Remove Agency discussion]

[elismommy5]

jen, do you mind me asking which county you're in? Im in pierce. What kind of problems did you have? and how we're the classes set up.

thanks melissa

[Jensboys]

Please take a moment to review the announcement located at the top of each forum:
NEW POLICY TO BE EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY

All agency specific discussions must be done in private. Discussing agency specific timelines processes, dossier preparation time, application process time, referral times and fees fall under this guideline.