[7brats]

Originally Posted by rkirby40

We live in franklincounty and are with a private agency. We are considering switching to county. We have been ready to go since Jan. a referral for a sib grp of 2yro girl and 4 yro boy never panned out. We are currently respiting a 9yr boy and are being told he will be moved to our home in June. None of witch has been confirmed. It is hard to understand why our agency keeps advertising for fps and does not place children with families who are waiting. We already have agreed to this child who was out of our age range. We really just wanted to be there for families who needed some support. I guess if you think about it, children must be doing fine in their bio Sorry to be so wishy washy its all new and the process for us gets more cloudy every day.

I have to agree with you.My agency told me the got several referrals this week but did not notify me on any of them. I was hopeful that I would get a call this week(as I am each week)but nothing and I was told today that it may be a while.
Yes,it would be great if children are being treated good,then they should remain with family.But I do not understand why the push for new foster parents while so many old ones sit with no placements.
I also do not understand why agencies get placements and take it upon themselves to choose for you that you cannot handle the child.As stated before my agency is getting placements,in fact told me they get about 5 per week,however for the last 6 weeks I haven't gotten 1 single call.My question is where are the children going???

[stilldeciding]

For me, I will switch agencies if I can't get a placement soon...or at this point I am gearing up for the possibility that I may decide to get pregnant again. I don't know how long I want to wait till I just give up. It is hard knowing that my homestudy is out there with my families info yet nothing is happening. I know my DH will agree to whatever I want, but my desire is to adopt..but if we can't find anyone..then I will look at another biological child again. It just breaks my heart to know we did this and yet...we haven't found a match and at this point..I am not sure if we will. I am ok if this is NOT meant to be, but I just want to know already. We just want another child but right now...really we have a time frame and if it works....I will be so happy..but if it doesn't work out then God must have other plans. I just have to wait and see!

[7brats]

Originally Posted by stilldeciding

For me, I will switch agencies if I can't get a placement soon...or at this point I am gearing up for the possibility that I may decide to get pregnant again. I don't know how long I want to wait till I just give up. It is hard knowing that my homestudy is out there with my families info yet nothing is happening. I know my DH will agree to whatever I want, but my desire is to adopt..but if we can't find anyone..then I will look at another biological child again. It just breaks my heart to know we did this and yet...we haven't found a match and at this point..I am not sure if we will. I am ok if this is NOT meant to be, but I just want to know already. We just want another child but right now...really we have a time frame and if it works....I will be so happy..but if it doesn't work out then God must have other plans. I just have to wait and see!

Good luck on any choice you decide to make.I know this is hard.My agency does not give me much hope,nor do other agencies I have contacted.They all say things are slow.I don't know what to do.I just want my to ring and its just not happening!

[stilldeciding]

I think for me I am glad I still have the option of another bio child if this doesn't work out. DH was never supposed to have kids and after lots of fertility help, giving up after 3 years and then getting prayed over...a few months later we got pregnant on our own and second child was just as easy, first try I was pregnant. So I can really feel for those out there who can't get pregnant and THIS is their only option for kids and a family. It is hard. But like anything else in life, persistence and patience is key, and it was the same "trying" to get pregnant. I see adoption as no different then pregnancy for me, as there is never a guarantee of what will happen or IF it will happen. But there is always that hope that something will work one way or another....I guess I am realistic yet try to view the world with a positive attitude...that always gets me through life. I have a strong faith and focus on that when I go through anything in life that seems NEVERENDING, where it seems the road is long and the destination in unknown. With me, always in the end things work out better then I thought or so different then I thought..that anything I could ever dream up in my head would pale in comparison to what God knows I NEED. I know with the two boys God has given me, I would never trade them...they are the PERFECT kids for me....and so will be whoever the next is...it may be a bio child or an adopted child or maybe BOTH. Kids are a blessing and it is tiring for me to wait on what will happen, but then again..I have nothing to lose irregardless and so much to gain. Good Luck for you..somehow we all here will get an answer soon! God Bless!

[7brats]

Originally Posted by stilldeciding

I think for me I am glad I still have the option of another bio child if this doesn't work out. DH was never supposed to have kids and after lots of fertility help, giving up after 3 years and then getting prayed over...a few months later we got pregnant on our own and second child was just as easy, first try I was pregnant. So I can really feel for those out there who can't get pregnant and THIS is their only option for kids and a family. It is hard. But like anything else in life, persistence and patience is key, and it was the same "trying" to get pregnant. I see adoption as no different then pregnancy for me, as there is never a guarantee of what will happen or IF it will happen. But there is always that hope that something will work one way or another....I guess I am realistic yet try to view the world with a positive attitude...that always gets me through life. I have a strong faith and focus on that when I go through anything in life that seems NEVERENDING, where it seems the road is long and the destination in unknown. With me, always in the end things work out better then I thought or so different then I thought..that anything I could ever dream up in my head would pale in comparison to what God knows I NEED. I know with the two boys God has given me, I would never trade them...they are the PERFECT kids for me....and so will be whoever the next is...it may be a bio child or an adopted child or maybe BOTH. Kids are a blessing and it is tiring for me to wait on what will happen, but then again..I have nothing to lose irregardless and so much to gain. Good Luck for you..somehow we all here will get an answer soon! God Bless!

thanks for the boost of inspiration.I agree with you 100%.Please keep me posted on you decision.I know in God's time it Will happen for both of us.
Carrie

[FosterMomGE]

Originally Posted by dulcita

Hi, We are in PA and received a sib group, 2 little girls about a month ago. We were licensed about a month before that. We switched from a private agency after waiting for a year with no placements. I am glad we made the switch although i really liked the staff with the private agency. They just were not getting any placements. Everything slowed down around Nov 08. Of course...we wanted to foster!!!

Just wondering what county you are in....and the ages of the girls.

[7brats]

Originally Posted by FosterMomGE

Just wondering what county you are in....and the ages of the girls.

I am also wondering what county you are in and what ages are the girls.Also how difficult was the switch from private to county and was there a period where you were with a license due to the switch?

[dulcita]

Hi,

I live in Monroe county but licensed through Lackawanna county. I was with Friendship House agency andthen switchedto the county . The switch would have been fairly fast but it went through the Christmas Holidays so slowed us down. We started in Nov 08 andthen were licensed early March 09. We had to take a few extra classes that they required and updated a few things. It wasnt too bad. We received a 19 month old and 3 yr old sibling sisters. They are such a joy and so glad we decided to foster. Our goal is to adopt but I dont know if it will be these girls. Iam trying to view them as my nieces, I love them but they are not mine.These are our very first placements. Iam looking forward to the future.
Letme know if you have any more questions. What county is everyone in, anyone close by?

[stilldeciding]

I'm in the western suburbs of PA....Allegheny county..but our agency has two locations..one in our county and one in Beaver county.

[7brats]

I live in Dauphin County,just a minute or two away from Hershey but my agency is in Cumberland County.

[Lauriesmom]

7brats...I'm with Cumberland County CYS and just going through the process so my info is just what they tell me not experience but...we were told that they need families as they are full and having to place outside of the county and that costs more. We have a training tomorrow and if the opportunity arrises, I'm going to ask for some statistics. It makes me nervous that so many are not having/getting placements when the wait to get approved is killing me and I haven't even started the wait for a placement!

[7brats]

Originally Posted by Lauriesmom

7brats...I'm with Cumberland County CYS and just going through the process so my info is just what they tell me not experience but...we were told that they need families as they are full and having to place outside of the county and that costs more. We have a training tomorrow and if the opportunity arrises, I'm going to ask for some statistics. It makes me nervous that so many are not having/getting placements when the wait to get approved is killing me and I haven't even started the wait for a placement!

Please let me know what they tell you!!!

[7brats]

Originally Posted by Lauriesmom

7brats...I'm with Cumberland County CYS and just going through the process so my info is just what they tell me not experience but...we were told that they need families as they are full and having to place outside of the county and that costs more. We have a training tomorrow and if the opportunity arrises, I'm going to ask for some statistics. It makes me nervous that so many are not having/getting placements when the wait to get approved is killing me and I haven't even started the wait for a placement!

I am interested in what they say because my agency is on Cumberland County and get Cumberland County children,but I have not recieved in any calls for them either.What I do not understand is that all agencies are saying that the need is so great,however in the 8 weeks my children were removed I have recieved not 1 telephone call So I sit by the phone and just wait Hopeful that today will be the day.
Is there anyone in Pennsylvania who live in Dauphin county,Cumberland county or York county who have been getting calls for placements?

[jbee]

we are private agency in franklin, one of our kids is from adams, one from perry, and our most recent was from york. before that we had a second adams kid and one from franklin. our most recent one just moved out last week so we haven't gotten any calls yet. we have never been empty. i know things are slow but we will take teenage boys so i suspect we will be full again soon and i'm not worried about it.

[rkirby40]

Is there a county agency in Franklin County? I've only found info for private agencies.