[Archive]

Originally Posted By Kevin

Here it goes...

I have a completed and approved home study. But the ineptness and badgering one has to do to insure the ball stays in the court is draining my enthusiasm and absorbing too much of my time.

Now that I have a general lay of the land, a year later, and another year older, I would had obtained a private home study through an agency outside the state.

MY QUESTION:
My game plan is to get far, far away from under this lousy state, which can’t update a listing for arguing over verbiage. I’ve investigated and can get a home study for around $1,200. Once upon a time that was no big deal. Today it is. Is there an organization or funding available for this?

Thanks,
Kevin

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Graham

Hi Kevin,
Which state did your study, and what type of child are you approved for? I wouldn't give up quite yet on getting things moving along. Ask your worker if there is anything in your study that might be slowing things up - just so you know. Getting another study might not be a great idea. Agencies frown on multiple studies. However, if that's what you chose to do - apply to the new agency, give your state agency a release to send your study to the new agency and they will update it. Not only should this cost way less but in any case it's a 100% federal tax credit to you, even if your attempt to adopt fails.
Graham.

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Kevin

I’d rather not mention the state. Although I want to expose the system, I don’t want to penalize the kids by dissuading anyone in the state from adopting. Rumor has it that there are a couple very conscientious caseworkers, hopefully they’ll be one of the lucky ones and happen on them. Or they’re naïvely trusting and won’t realize that they’re being jerked around.

I don't expect any grief from any agencies. It appears that I'm one of many who contact them weekly out of frustration with the state's handling of their adoption. In addition to losing paperwork they treat the adoptive parent like a routine suspected abuse case. It gets old REAL FAST. Meanwhile, children are left to languish. Graham, It’s wild!!! I’ll speak to other adoptive couples who have shared the similar experience (in one case the exact experience with the same caseworker). The only advise they have is “strategy” to circumventing the system. I’d rather use that time in preparation for my kid’s arrival.

I’m aware of the option to sign off on your study to another agency. HOWEVER, this state (probably anticipating prospective parents getting frustrated, and going elsewhere) has a clause that requires that you pay $1200 to have your study released if less than a year of the studies approval. Leaving me back to square-one money-wise plus an additional cost for the home study update. Please believe me, I’ve done my homework. I’ve talked to an attorney and have an action I can lodge against the state, but that’s more time and energy. My personality type and system-wide ineptness is bad chemistry.

Which brings me back to my original question. Are there any resources I can explore for cost as this.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Debbie

Kevin, I thought you mentioned using an agency from

another state to do your study. Be sure that you use a

agency that is licensed to work in your state. A placement

agency may wonder about why you would use an agency

from another state. It may be inconvenient also in the

future as that agency may have to provide the supervision

for a placement. Be sure to check out those costs also.

As far as I know, there are no grants or programs that pay

for a home study. Those expenses may be recovered in the

event you receive a placement and the child is eligible

for nonrecurring adoption expenses reimbursement.

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Hattie

Kevin,

Sounds like you and I might live in the same state. I was 2 weeks shy of my 1 year anniversary with the system before I got my first placement. Furthermore, the placement was an 18 year old male foster child. I'm a single female. He wasn't exactly within the scope of children I said I would consider, and I was only looking to adopt. You know what else? My Home Study had to be amended to allow for this child profile to be placed. It took them less than 24 hours to complete the amendment. You see this was an emergency placement, so it was in their best interest. The upside is, he's a wonderful kid and is doing great. However, I'm still looking to adopt.

I'm on my second placement worker already. Not one time has a worker actually presented a child to me. There are plenty within the state that meet my criteria. Obviously, I'm willing to consider vast age ranges. I have submitted somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 inquiries over the past year. I have received information on only one of those children and have never been interviewed for any of them. To make matters worse, when I send in an inquiry on a child in a different "region" (same state), it never fails I receive an email response asking me to contact my worker to send the child's worker a copy of my Home Study. All of my worker's information is contained in the inquiry. Do these people not talk to each other?

You are not the only person frustrated with the process. I am counting down the days until the 1 year anniversary of my Home Study is complete. At that time, I will send it to whomever I wish. Best of luck to you.

[Archive]

Originally Posted By Kevin

Hattie, my dear soul mate...

Your story is too serendipitous, I too received an instant response on a child that I thought was a bit morose. I’m high energy and extroverted. I teach in a prison and frankly am more excited about a child with a dash of spark, the bad (but not-real-bad) lad. In a past life I’ve seen kid’s lives turned around, through receiving structure, love and stability, I want to replicate that, without having to turn them back over to their “parent” and watch a year’s work deteriorate. The caseworker instantly questioned my reluctance after I express of my impression of the child from an earlier profile. It became immediately obvious that they had seen me as a depository to unload a kid. She later asked me questions from the caseworkers for clarifications. The questions immediately verified my suspicious of the home study inaccuracy or the overall inability of the caseworkers to interpret or process language.

Unlike you, there is no way in heck I’m going to give these people an entire year to put my life on hold while they piddle around with children’s lives. You may want to look into getting a private study. My research on the matter has unearthed that the home study in many states is reimbursement. If money is an issue is your life (as it is mine) you can at least know that you will be able to repay the loan in the event you have to secure a loan. Then you’re out from under those yahoos and prayerfully you’ll have an agency who will is committed to you. One thousand dollars or more is a very minimal price to affording you your heart’s wish.

The workers here are your preverbal “state workers”. The adoption thing is of peripheral importance. They are first and foremost “child protection” snoops and while eager to snatch a child from an individual, they are less committed to the child after it’s been dumped into the system. I’m not suggesting that all individuals’ working in a state system are “state workers”. I’ve met enormously wonderful, compassionate individuals (from other states of-course) who I was confident had the child’s best interest in heart. Like you I was locked in at a year’s commitment with this lousy state and could not follow through.

There’s a kid who I have expressed interest in adopting. The “system” has adopted all of his siblings out from under him. He was 10 y.o. when I first saw his profile, he’s

I’m still mulling over my course of action. Make sure you read your case study, I’m getting myself revved up for that round. Since I know they’ve already flubbed up I’m bracing myself as to my reaction and response when I learned to what degree..

I’m hoping we’re in the same state, I shutter to think that there are other states equally or more inept. Since it sounds like you’re on the home stretch I’d say stick with it. On that blessed one-year anniversary your home study, find a good agency with which you fill comfortable. And get the heck out from under your state. BELIEVE ME, I’LL BE PRAYING FOR YOU, when it’s all over we’ll look back and laugh (I hope ;-)

Kevin