[jcs4youth]

My husband and I were licensed and approved to adopt in August 04' and have been looking for the children God has for us with no luck. We have selected some and never hear anything from our social worker. We have tried to contact the childrens social worker with no responses either. We have even looked in KY and IN. The only response we have ever received was from IN, and when we mention something to our social worker she says she's focusing on a permanent custody case right now. I understand that but what about the other children who are looking for forever families do they have to wait. We understand the age we are looking at 0-5yrs is hard at times to get, but we have saw many faces and applied for them. Has anyone been able to adopt a younger child through this site? If so how long did it take? Does anyone have any advice or words of encouragement? My husband and I have no children of our own so this would be our first, but we want to provide love and a forever family to a child who will be ours. Thanks for your time. We have never wrote on one of these before so not quite sure how this works. But have a great day and God Bless.

[mj77]

I'm sorry for your frustration. I don't reside in your state but in Oregon. The best advice I can offer you is to keep seeking and be persistant. That seems to be the way things get done. Check out www.nwae.org. There are waiting kids out there. There maybe child profiles at adoption.com too. I wish I could have other states look at the books here of waiting children in OR as there are so many. We have 2 boys now. We got them at 13 mo and at 5 mo. I know it's possible to find them young. Start pushing buttons. Best of luck to you.

[quincy76]

I'm new to this site but I have some info for you.
We went thru OH's foster to adopt program last fall.
We to wanted a 0-5 year old and were told in order to get a child that young we had to do the foster. So after we took our required classes it was about 2 months before we got a placement a brother / sister age 4 and 3. After living with us for 8 months an aunt in FL wanted them and they left our house last friday to go live with her. It was heart breaking, so don't let anyone talk you into anything your not ready for. Now to get to you. We are now going with the priviate adoption but we just got a call you might be interested in. I don't know what county you are in but we live in Butler which is around Cincinnati. The BCCS adoption unit called us they have a brother/sister age
2 and 3 that will be up for adoption soon. You might want to give them a call.
GOOD LUCK !!

[jcs4youth]

Thank you so much for your response. We too were matched with a sib group of a 2mnth old boy and his sister 5 yr old last Tuesday. Then on Friday we received a call stating another judge overturned the previous judges ruling and they were coming to get the kids last Friday. We were devasted. These children were placed with us because we were going to be able to adopt them and they had already been thru so much in their life. We were so attached to them in such a short period of time, and our heart was ripped out from the pain. I couldn't imagine having them the 8 mnths then losing them. These kids were our kids the oldest was calling us mom and dad and had finally called this home on Friday when I got her off the bus. To tell her she was going back to where she was at was so heart breaking. We are labeled as Adopt only and these kids were suspose to be adoptable. Our hearts ache so much. These two kids you were talking about do you have any info? Could you IM us? Do you have a number where we can call? We are in southeast Ohio, Jackson County. Thank you once again for letting us know we'll keep you all in our prayers also. Thanks to everyone who does respond.

[teachermom]

Have you considered international adoption? Our daugher has been home for a month from Korea. She flew into Detroit airport. Our process took exactly 5 months from start to finish. She came home at 5 months and 1 week old. Our agency walked us through the process.

The reason I'm writing is that our agency, the only Ohio agency licsenced to do healthy infant adoptions from Korea, is in great need of parents. My social worker just told me this on Monday. The babies are coming home between 5-8 months old and the process is taking between 5-6 months to complete.

The babies are very well taken care of and our in foster care until they are place with you. You get some family background information and Korea's medical is on par with the U.S. Korea is the oldest international adoptive nation. They've ben doing this for 50 years, so that makes their process even more reliable.

Don't be afraid of the cost. After we get the adoption tax credit our cost will be 12,500.

Since we can't give agency names, please PM me. The agency is located in Macedonia, Oh.

This has been a wonderful experience and we love our daughter so much. I searched for 9 months for an agency and we felt like we were led by God to our daughter. This agency had informational meetings every month. When we attended we knew immediately that this was what we were supposed to do.

Sarah

[L-A-J-C-R-C]

Hey jcs,

I think I may live across the river from you! I'm in Ashland, KY.

Was just wondering how your search is going. Be persistent with the Ohio DCS! We've inquired about kids there and have gotten responses - you just need to be a pest!

Good luck.

Michelle

[jcs4youth]

Thanks a lot teachermom and LAJCRC for responses. I PM you teachermom.

LAJCRC yes you live across river from us. We have been very persistent with our agency I constantly contact them by phone or email. We have selected several children but never seem to be selected by any of them. It's very strange in OHIO compared to some states. They wait till they get several hundred homestudies for one child before they begin to select someone. To me that's not how it should be. We are believing God has someone for us but the wait is really getting us down. We have tried other states too with no results. Well thank you all for your time.

[L-A-J-C-R-C]

Hi Neighbor,

I'm sorry for your frustration! Dealing with DCS is frustrating no matter what state you live in! You would think these workers would have a sense of urgency (and still do a thorough selection) to place these kids, unfortunately that's just not the case. It's sad knowing we are out here looking for kids to love and protect and the kids are whereever they are waiting for their forever family and we just can't seem to get to each other!

Hang in there, bug the crap out of DCS! Back in July we found a 12 y/o girl on our SNAP page and inquired about her. We got the referral and, unfortunately, had to turn the placement down because of her mental health issues. I became friendly with that child's contact person (via e-mail and telephone) and she is working with us to help us find our daughter! Maybe you could find a friendly worker willing to work with you too? When you speak to these people on the phone you can give them a good sense of "what your family is all about" and they are more comfortable helping you.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

Michelle

[solarscarlet]

[font=century gothic][color=purple]
Hello Everyone:

I am new to this board & hoping to get alot of advise, learn from experience, & meet some new people.

My DH & I are in the process of adopting thru our county. We are half way thru our pre-training classes. And we are still getting all of the paperwork together. We are hoping to adopt a little girl between the ages of 0-6yrs old.

Here is a bit of background: I am 30yrs old (soon to be 31) & DH is 25yrs old. We have been married 2yrs. We already have a son in the home (to be 8yrs old on Friday--biologically mine). My DH legally adopted my son in April of this year. We decided to adopt after 2yrs of infertility treatments & being diagnosised having PCOS. We would rather spend the time/money in adopting a child that needs a loving home; than to go thru the heartache of more infertility treatments.

I have been reading alot of books along with the classes we are taking. Are there any books that you can recommend?? That I should read before adopting?? Any advice/information at all would be appreciated!!

**JCS4YOUTH...I live in Ohio too...Maybe we could chat or email each other?? Please let me know how the process is working for you. I could use the extra input!!!**

Looking for friends/support,
Solarscarlet

[L-A-J-C-R-C]

Hi SolarScarlet and welcome to the boards!!!

A book a lot of people on here recommend is Adopting the Hurt Child. I haven't read it but ppl. say it's insightful.

Advice: Learn to be patient (if you're not already). Adopting through the "system" is a looonnnggg drawn out ordeal (even when it's a sure thing that the child isn't going home). That's the hardest part for me to do : )

Form a good relationship with your worker. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Best of luck in your adoption.

Michelle

[jcs4youth]

Hi solarscarlet. Thanks for stopping by. Yea we live in southeast Ohio. Feel free to email me if you'd like. As with you I was also diagnosed 3 yrs ago with PCOS and last year w/ diabetes. So conceiving hasn't been good. My husband and I have been married over 3 yrs now and I also am 31. Maybe we can chat and give each other some good advice through this. Drop a line and we'll keep you in our prayers as well. Take care PM me if you'd like and if you don't have my email I'll give it to you.

Keep us updated on how things are going and maybe if we find kids of interest we can let each other know we are also looking for 0-5 yrs old. Thanks again.

[quincy76]

I'm in the same boat as you guys I'm 28 DH 29 and I've has
PCOS and doing infertility treatments off and on for 6-7 years.
What town do you guys live in. We live in Trenton which is northern Butler CO. (just 30 north of Cincinnati). As you can see I've been thru the County Children Services if you have any questions just email me. Good Luck to all.

[solarscarlet]

JCS4Youth & Quincy76:

Thanks for your responses!! It's amazing how small the world is. LOL!! I live in Kettering; a small suburb in the city of Dayton. I would love to get to know the both of you better & to have someone to share my stories/experiences with...from our infertility to foster/adopting.

I am currently reading "Adopting The Hurt Child" . I have read "Lost In The System" & I am stopping by the library to pick up a copy of "Another Place At The Table".

I don't have your email address, but maybe we can share our email addresses & we can chat online too. I think it would be great to share kids of interest with each other.

Thanks Again & I will say a Prayer for you,
Solarscarlet

[jcs4youth]

Yeah we live in Jackson County. Solarscarlet I PM you w/ my email. Maybe we all can support each other. Quincy76 were you matched with someone? Sorry about losing kids know what you mean. Thanks for everyones help. It's just such a hard and painful wait.

[quincy76]

Well we were not matched with a birth family. We had a sib group thru the foster/adopt program. On 10-1 the County was filling for PC and an Aunt in FL showed up and wanted the kids.
That is how we lost them.