[Beautyqueen616]

So it's been awhile since I've been on here but we have finished our FAKT and SNAP classes, we are doing straight adoption for now. We are just waiting on our first visit for our homestudy, we will be going down to the Childrens Bureau offices since we are moving in about 7 weeks into our new house. Then they will come inspect the house but after the 1st interview I believe we can inquire about children.

Anyways one of my clients had come accross someone on one of these message boards who is a home finder. This woman contacted her the DAY AFTER her HS was finished and a week later they started visits with the 3 little girls who are now thier daughters. I'm looking for her, I want to say her name was Cookie.

Also, anyone have any suggestions on the waiting game? We are open to race and most special needs. Also up to age 7, we are looking to stay 5 or under but the main thing is finding the right kid for us and the kid that we are the right parents for. We are limited to only little girls for now. We have been told 1 or possibly 2 IF they are bio sibs. This is just from looking at the floorplan of our house.

[evillemomndad]

Hi there! So you've already been presented to the SNAP committe, and received approval?

We were told that the HS & FC license OR SNAP approval has to be done before we can inquire (well get the child's information).


I wish you the best of luck.

[gemanda]

HS has to be done and you have to have your license before you can get SNAP approval. At least, that's what we were told and how it went for us.

Just as an FYI...our worker tells us of every single SNAP referral that comes across her desk in central IN for under 7...and there were less than a handful (I think 2 or 3) in all of last year. So straight adoption may be a bit tough.

[LacyMom]

wow i was told too, that they adoption workers got together once a month to do the SNAP approvals. sounds like straight adoption is tough.

[gemanda]

From what I understand, they do get together and do SNAP approval. But that's all they do, approve you.

The SNAP workers don't search for families for kids they have - the families are the ones that search. Often, at these meetings, they'll give out info on kids that are coming up. The agencies can then contact people they know who might be a fit and see if they want to submit their homestudies. But the SNAP workers only collect the homestudies, review them, and then decide who to take to a staffing meeting (usually 3 families).

Straight adoption of little ones is very, very tough. No doubt. They often go to foster-adopt, which is a completely different ballgame that doesn't involve SNAP at all.

[LacyMom]

oh wow, if they only review 3 families it could be months before fp could get approval to do a straight adoption. so basically we could search for a match once we got their approval then.

so then w/foster to adopt, we don't need the SNAP to be able to adopt if it comes to that? I wondered if we'd have to get swift approval from them or if it was bypassed b/c we had been fostering.

[gemanda]

No no no...they review whoever they have on the docket.

The 3 families are when there's a specific child(ren) for whom they're considering specific families.

[LacyMom]

I'm sorry I'm pretty new to the process still. thank you for explaining.

[gemanda]

No worries, it's all very confusing, and there are very few answers publicly available from DCS.

[LacyMom]

thank you and isn't that the truth! and frustrating too!

[TonyaB]

I recently completed the FAKT with the Children's Bureau. Too bad there are not many people who are interested in adoption, but more of kindship and foster care. I would love to hear about your adoption experience when it's finalized. I hope to adopt through SNAP or out of state through ICPC.