[Heather47501]

I live in Washington, In... in Daviess County, and didn't know if anyone was close to me...

[FosterSurroBirthMom]

Hey Heather....I am in Michigan now but within 2 years we will be back home (Southern Indiana)...we are hoping to adopt 2 little guys from foster care first and then we will be back home, well after we sell our house, etc. LOL

We are from Columbus/Hope area!

[po]

I live south of Ft. Wayne. What is your problem? I know the state has many. On April 6, 2006 the Indy Star did a report on child abuse and neglect and of the ten worst states, Indiana was number 1. Not an award to be proud of. Now they are not taking kids away, but putting them in unlicensed homes or relative placements and these are already poor people and the stress of more children is not good. At Christmas the caseworkers were trying to raise money to buy the kids Christmas presents or else they would not get any. Our agency has not had a new placement since July. Sounds like they are trying to do away with foster care as we know it.

[tenderlovingtreasure]

I am from southern indiana also. we have been trying to get our liscense since june and its driving us nuts. we have sent our fingerprints three weeks ago and have heard nothing. we are wanting to adopt and would rather not do temp foster care if possible. we want two little men and possibly another girl later. that will give us two and two. we are patiently waiting but its driving us bananas. we have been jerked around something fierce.

[FosterSurroBirthMom]

Po? What is who's problem??

[FosterSurroBirthMom]

We are currently living in Indiana, this is where I was raised, and are currently in the foster parent process, hubby and I were talking the other day and decided that we were going to try and move back "home" in the next couple years, but if we have foster kids we will not move until they are reunified or better yet...adopted!! We call Indiana home because we both like it so much better then Michigan, after we get to Indiana we will probably see if we can get anymore kids but we have 3 bios, want to adopt 2 so will have 5 when we make the move...!!

[FosterSurroBirthMom]

crap...currently living in Michigan**

[po]

just wondered if you had a problem the reason you wondered if someone lived near you. Indiana is having a real proble with foster care. If someone is thinking they can get foster kids, go through termination and adopt them in less than 2 years dream on. We had a placement for almost 4 years, she became hurtful to other kids and had to be moved. They had already gone for termination which was supposed to be final. She has been in an adoptive placement for 1 1/2 years and it will be several more months before it will be final. This is just one case that I know of. There are many more. We have had several placements for 2 to 4 years. Right now we have been empty for almost 6 months. They just are not taking kids away.

[willydeedilly]

I'm pretty near to you - Orange County. Last year hubby and I took the foster parenting classes, but could not get our County Office to contact us about completing our Foster License. They wouldn't return numerous phone calls or emails - never did find out why. So we let the classes "expire" and will probably not try again. I'm just starting the process of researching Adoption Agencies in our state.

Patty

[tpakra]

There are times when you can adopt your foster child in under 2 years. We adopted our fs when he was 8 1/2 months old. We got him at 2 days old. I've learned that with foster care and adoption, you can NEVER say never. I understand that our situation isn't the norm, but it can and does happen. Please don't put people down for their 'dreams'.

[FosterSurroBirthMom]

Here in Michigan...there are VERY good about if the child is in you home for a year then either TPR starts or they are RU...I have seen millions of cases and foster parents in my area. That one good thing about MI is that the Foster System is very strong and doesn't play games and shove you off like you are a number...We were told by a agency (we are going thru DHS) but this agency told us that with the economy the way it is, they are losing people who want to take infants, (due to the fact that both parties have to work, baby doesnt sleep thru the night, they need 24 hours care, meaning at no point they can play by themsemves etc.) She said she needed people who would be willing to pick a baby up at the hospital...Thats what I want...I would loveeeeeeeeee 2! actually...but I wont get greedy!! BUt I didnt mean to get off topic but yeah MI is really good about getting these children some stability and no leave them in care without a concurrent plan for too long!!

[FosterSurroBirthMom]

Nope Po...no problem's here thanks...wasnt sure what you were asking...

[Heather47501]

Hi, I'm Heather, the one that started this thread. I was just curious if there was anyone around us that was trying to adopt from the foster care system. My husband, and I will be starting our classes this month, and done with them at the end of Feb. We are really excited about adopting, and we too don't want to foster- then adopt. It would be too hard for me to have them taken away if they were returned to the parents. To PO I don't have any problems, was just curious if there was anyone near us trying to do the same thing. Thank you again for everyones response, and good luck to you all too!!

[StephanieMB]

Po, I've suspected that foster care in Indiana is dwindling, but wasn't sure why, since the newspapers still mention various abuse and neglect cases.

Where did you hear that the state is changing the way it does things?

[19desiree80]

willydeedilly,
My husband and I took our classes the summer of 2005 and then chickened out, but we are ready now and all the state required us to do was 10 hours of inservice (6 hours went to our permancy class and the other 4 reading books and filling out a questionaire on the book) So as long as you are in the two year window you should really be ok!