[number2mom]

Hi,
Can anyone share with me your experience going to committee?? We are going for a little boy this month and I would like to be some what prepared. We are having our "interview" in a couple of days. Please help! Thank you

[Biffer1997]

We went to a committee meeting about a month ago. Once we found out, we prepared a family scrapbook to show. We had a page of our immediate family, pages with family, and friends, we each created a page that showed out interests, a page about or cats, places we have travelled, activities we do together, a page of our wedding.


Once we got to the meeting, we waiting in the waiting room with the two other couples (talk about nervous tension) then we were all called to the meeting room together were the "team" told us about the child. The team consisted of: the child's present and past caseworker, the SNAP specialist, the guardian ad liem, the child's therapist, her mentor, and a couple of other SW's. They told us the facts (we also had the adoptive history) and asked if we had any quesitons. They then set up times to meet with each couple individually and took our cell #'s so they could call us either way (they requested we stay in the area as they wanted to take the couple to meet the child).

My husband and I were interviewed 1st and they asked "what if's" and how we would handle potential incidents. When we pulled out the scrapbook, everyone was VERY impressed and they all passed it around and asked questions.

The best advice I got from this forumn was BE YOURSELF--say what you mean not what you think they want to hear. Alot of people would talk at once and we did not take notes, so I am sure alot was lost on me. It was our 1st potential match, so we were just in it for the experience. We were the only out of state couple being interviewed so they asked how we would handle the Int. Compact issues.

Before we left, the mentor got out a picture the child had drawn showing her new house--and my husband and I both thought it looked like ours!

We entertained ourselves for the 3 hours and then about 5 minutes before the set time to call, the cell phone rang. They wanted to ask my husband some questions about his medical history. We figured that was good we must be in the running, and then the phone rang again and they asked us if we were interested in adopting the child. I know I was in shock--I really did not expect to be picked!

We met with the mentor who went and introduced us to the child less than one hour after we were selected. We spent about an hour getting to know her. Since then we have talked with her on the phone, sent letters, and spent about 3 hours last weekend playing games and getting to know one another. We are hopeful that the next visit we can take her out on the town

As far as we know, the CW has completed the interstate compact, and we have had our fingerprints done for that state. Hopefully placement will be before Christmas--but I think they are waiting on the paperwork, not an exact date.

So our committe meeting was very successful! If you have any specific qustions, PM and I will try to answer them. What state is this for? Is it your home state?