[shellydm]

Hi-

Does anyone know the Guatemalan law for post-placement requirements? (the homestudy visits and reports after your child is home).

Thanks!

Shelly

[readytobeamommy]

There are NONE! Your agency may say there are but in fact there are NONE! Your agency may have requirements but again there are NONE~ I have gone through this as you can tell...........

[dspakowsky]

No. Guatemala does not require them. Although, some placement agencies do, but it's not too common. Just check with your agencies requirements prior to signing with them.

[riaanne]

also keep inmind thta if you are goinbg to re-adopt in your state, your state may require post placement visits

[Kaceysmama]

The others are correct, there are no post placement requirements for the country; however, if you are planning to re-adopt here in the US, your court will most likely and in-home visit. We had to wait 90 days to readopt. Our agency had a 6 month follow-up requirement, but accepted our three month report used for our re-adoption.

Unfortunately, going in, we didn't realize there were no requirements and relied on our home study agency for advice when signing the contract. Of course, they said we needed two (@ $250 a piece)! Perhaps we can get our second $250 applied as a tax-deductible donation, (yeah, right)?!? Peanuts, when looking at the full scope of things, but still...could've used that money for other things (like more shopping in Antigua ;-)!!

Good luck to you!
Kris

[shellydm]

Thanks everyone!

Wow, I am surprised to hear there are NO requirements for Guatemala.

We signed when we accepted the referral with all the loads of other paperwork , that we had to do one at 6 months ;1 year; 2 year; and 3 year. When we started out we assumed that everyone had to do this.

We plan to re-adopt in our state anyway but boy what a surprise that our agency requires so many follow-ups yet the country doesn't.

Ouch!

Thanks again,

Shelly

[MNStarr]

Our agency requires post placement every month for one year and then quarterly for the next two years. Interesting that they require it and not Guatemala. In all honesty though it isn't bad. We just have to fill out one sheet of paper and send in pictures.

[ps2005]

I literally JUST got off the phone with an in-state agency we are considering for homestudy only. They also have an adoption program that includes Guatemala. She said (and I quote)..."If you need post-placement services, and you DO for Guatemala..." Maybe it is a state thing, maybe it is just their program.

How do you get difinitive answers for this? I feel like we are at the mercy of whomever takes our call at these various places.

Also, where can I get some more information about readoption in a certain state? Still a little fuzzy on this and can't find much concrete info. Thanks!

[desilu1991]

We adopted independently so we didn't have any agency required post placements and our attorney didn't ask for any. He did ask that we keep in touch and send pictures and updates to him because he likes to keep up with his past clients.

When we readopted Luke, we had to wait 90 days also, and did not have to have a post placement report. They told me when I made the appointment that the judge has the right to ask for one if he sees a need, but otherwise, there are no set requirements, at least in my county.

The social worker who did our homestudy (who I would NEVER recommend) told me 3 different times, that post placements were required to readopt in our state. Of course, since she charges $650 a pop for these, she would like to make you think that. I did my own research and found out we didn't and I am really glad I did.

Good luck with yours and hope they go well!

[lsk]

Our agency told us from the start that post placement visits were not a requirement for Guatemala as a country, but were a requirement from the hogar in Guatemala that we are adopting from. I have absolutely no problem with this. We have to have 2, at $250 each. I think it is so the hogar knows that the homestudy agency here in CA is doing their job well, and that the babies are going to good homes.

[carney10]

I was told by our HS agency that Illinois requires 1 post placement visit but that the country does not.

So check your state requirements.
Lisa

[Mariais5]

We are in FL.. I called our homestudy agency and asked if we needed a post placement. They said to contact the placing agency and see if they had a requirement. They did not, so the homestudy agency did a "phone interview" with me and said she would note that we talked post placement of the child via the phone. We've already completed our re-adoption, and our attorney never mentioned another homestudy visit for post placement..

[coachmom]

Our agency did not require any as Guatemala doesnt not either. I called our local courthouse and they asked us to just send them our homestudy(it had not been a year yet so it was still valid), a copy of the adoption decree. letter of good health from the pediatrician, and a letter from the agency stating we didnt need any post placements. We got everything done in less than a month and are now waiting on the bc to come in the mail with his new name. Each state is different though so it would be a good thing to check on first.
Doretta

[kandesmurphy]

Does anyone know where we can find this out definitely? Our homestudy agency definitely requires two post-placement but if the placing agency and Guatemala don't require any - do we really have to go through with it? Thanks.


Kathy

[laura-jean]

and one after one year of placement.

We did not pay for these visits unless they grouped in into there fee and it wasn't spelled out.

I think they are just being cautious and didn't seem unreasonable to check and make sure that the children are well since they have been our "agent" and represent us.

Interesting how each agency handles things differently.

Some agencies may make this an opportunity to make more money I guess. Our agency is always gracious. In fact, looks like they don't get paid enough if you ask me....Don't know how they do it frankly....

Best Wishes to getting the answers you need.

LJ