[rmyoung]

we have one for foster placement next month
just wonder what to expect

[TexasJingles]

Haven't actually "been" to one (it was held 5 hours away from us). However, it's just a 6 month review to see if the child's needs are being met and what progress is being done (in our case it was the appeals process).

On one, they (as in CPS) had to show why they were holding up his adoption (easy, they wanted the appeals on his 2 siblings to be determined so they could adopt all 3 at the same time).

They other 2 they just kept filling out the paperwork stating that they were in a good placement, people who wanted to adopt them if they became legally free, all their needs were being me (educationally, emotionally, physically, and so on). They had to state whether we were taking them to the doctor, dentist, attending school, what their free-time was like and so on.

We were invited, but not required to be there (in fact, the cwr stated that very few fparents ever attend).

Hope that helps at least some.

[rmyoung]

yea it does but we were told we had to attend
and the parents he was takin away from could be there!
Also it hasnt been 6 months only one so who knows but it could be crazy if the parents show

[TexasJingles]

They will do a ppt before 6 months if it's a new placement (or fairly new). The cwr has to do a report for the judge.

With ours, the bparents were pretty violent and I would NOT feel comfortable if they were there (we were not the fosterparents during visits and all, just afterwards during the appeals and there were no visits allowed...in fact, our adopt was closed..sealed..they are not to have contact with these kids until the kids are 18 or older).

Perhaps it's different for your case?

[texastanya]

My husband and I went to a PPT for our two boys. They were placed in March '05 (but they had been in care since August of '04), and the PPT was in May.
Attendees of the PPT were: bio-mom and current boyfriend, bio-dad's lawyer (bio-dad was in jail), bio-mom's mother, case worker, CASA worker, CPS lawyer, my husband and I, and a whole slew of people from the county.
The meeting itself was pretty interesting. Essentially, the state wants to know how the biofamily is progressing with their "plan". If the family is doing well, they make future plans to return the children. If they are not, they make plans to have TPR hearings, etc.

In our case the bio-mom was making little to NO PROGRESS on her plan. She went to the parenting classes, but did not have a job, did not have a home, had not completed Drug and Alcohol classes, and rarely showed up to counseling, which was required weekly. When she spoke she gave a littany of excuses, and blamed is all on everybody but herself.
The boyfriend spoke and said he would "make sure she does the right thing." However, he didn't have a job, and was living with his parents at the age of 28, definately not a "pillar of the community."
The bio-mom's mother spoke, and we were totally shocked at her statement. She told the state she did not want the children to be returned to their mother, that she had witnessed the mother's poor behaviour and promises of improvement for years. She said she would love to adopt the kids, but she felt she was too old to handle them, so she wanted the foster family (us) to adopt them. She chewed out the mother, up one side and down the other. And, she told the state that if they gave the kids back to the mother, they should be ashamed.
CASA spoke and listed the many missed/skipped counseling sessions, and asked the bio-mom about her complete lack of ambition toward getting a job, or getting housing.
CPS spoke mentioning that the bio-mom had attended the Parenting Classes, and said that bio-mom said she would improve, but didn't have proof.
One of the people from the state inquired about the drug testing. It was stated that bio-mom failed one - she gave the excuse that it was "in the room" where she was but she wasn't smoking. The guy from the state almost laughed and said "yeah, right."
At the end of the meeting they gave the bio-mom another 6 months to get her stuff together, but if she had not made significant progress, they would move forward with TPR.
That meeting was in May of last year, the TPR happened on February 1st of this year.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions.

T

[rmyoung]

well, we attened our first PPT (permanancy planning team) meeting last week -and this is our first placement!- and the recomendation/outcome was ADOPTION UNRELATED (that's us, the foster parents!).

Could it be true that we get to adopt our first placement????? We already love the little guy so much. He is 14 months old (12 months at placement) and has adjusted so well.

Thanks for everyone who replied to give us an idea about the PPT meeting- it was very helpful.