[klgoats]

We are looking to adopt a sibling group of 2-4 children under age 13 and are currently licensed through a private adoption in Texas. They are contracted with the State and this will be a CPS adoption. However, it seems to me that CPS is only choosing families from CPS and not using contract services (private agencies) unless they have no other option. Now I'm wondering if we should just switch to the State. Our agency is very attentive but they do not seem to be in the loop at all. Does anyone else have any experience with this in Texas?

[CaddoRose]

I could have written that post. I just found out from my CPS CW that my private agency is not in good standing with CPS. Oops! How was I to know that my agency re-licensed a home that CPS had pulled the license on?

My CPS CW told me about a potential placement of a baby boy that would go TPR next year and she thought we would be the perfect family for him. The CPS foster to adopt worker said she would not place him with us because of our agency. WHAT? CW told her she really needed to read our HS and meet us, but she was very hestitant because of the problems CPS has had with other homes licensed through my agency. (The present foster family changed their mind and kept him.)

So here I sit wondering if I should jump ship and change my license to CPS. I have a great relationship with my local CPS office and the CW's there. We want to adopt and the CW told me that they look to their own families first for those placements.

What I know now is that when a child is taken into care any agency can end up placing that child, but when a child that is in care needs to go to a pre-adoptive home, then CPS is looking to their own families for those placements, so I'm thinking that I would be better off to move to CPS.

[craftingmama]

What I know now is that when a child is taken into care any agency can end up placing that child, but when a child that is in care needs to go to a pre-adoptive home, then CPS is looking to their own families for those placements, so I'm thinking that I would be better off to move to CPS.

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WHAT??? that's crazy. I was under the impression, ok, in my state, that foster families that have the child in their care actuallly have first option to adopt, should TPR occur. you mean they will pull them from homes listed with an agency and move them to a CPS one? why cause a disruption if the foster family who has the child wants to adopt them? that's nuts.

[craftingmama]

I think that because when CPS places with a private agency, they have to pay the agency, or the state does, they do try to keep them in their system. our home county even calls other counties and will only use an agency as an extreme last resort. I'd still prefer our private agency though, because of the support and things they offer that CPS would never offer.

[CaddoRose]

Craftingmama: In Texas if a foster family has a child and they want to adopt, then they are the first in line. Many people foster without the intent of adopting and it's those kids that CPS is looking to place in pre-adoptive homes. They don't just move the child to a CPS licensed home, so no disruption. They only move if foster family doesn't want to adopt.

This is what happened with the baby that my CW told me about. The family had already adopted several kids and they didn't want to adopt anymore and asked CPS to find a pre-adoptive placement for him since it was likely he would go TPR.

My understanding is that if the foster family chooses not to adopt(regardless of agency or CPS), then it is CPS that looks for the adoptive placement and not the agency.

[potentialsinglemom]

I was told by my CW that CPS were weeding out the private agencies. She said that so many agencies are popping up out of no where and have lost site of their purpose. She said there are a lot of agencies out there who are certifying homes too quickly and not following the CPS/DFPS guidelines.

I did ask the obvious and she said "the agency" is in good standing.

[craftingmama]

Originally Posted by potentialsinglemom

I was told by my CW that CPS were weeding out the private agencies. She said that so many agencies are popping up out of no where and have lost site of their purpose. She said there are a lot of agencies out there who are certifying homes too quickly and not following the CPS/DFPS guidelines.

I did ask the obvious and she said "the agency" is in good standing.

I wonder though, just how honest that response is, about them not being well trained. Honestly, we were licensed quickly through a private agency, but our training was extremely thorough. There's no reason that states should be allowed to drag licensing out for a year or longer. Our agency turns away the majority of people they interview, by the way. I personally believe that CPS wants to 'weed' out private agencies so that they don't have to pay them for caring for their counties children. Better to send them to a state run group home than to use a private agency, it seems around here, anyway.

[potentialsinglemom]

I don't know about all of that, but I can tell you about two agencies that would have certified me within a month. I was not impressed with them at all. They called just like bill collectors after I told them I was considering another agency and made promises...it made me wonder about their integrity.

[craftingmama]

I wouldn't have used an agency like the one you mentioned either. I love ours. They give a ton of support, plan monthly respite days for the foster and bio kids, treat the kids like family, help with paying for things like ballet, boy scouts, soccer, etc. I love their whole child approach and how the treat the children and the families who foster for them. Plus they really go to bat in court for the children's needs, not the parents rights.

[sparkle1908]

I am going through CPS myself...from what was told to us at our information meeting, children that are taken in by private agencies are still "wards of the state" i.e CPS and that they all generally pull from the same group of kids when placing...when she said that I just decided it was easier to just go through CPS...

I do know that a lot of "private agencies" have been found in violation of CPS policies and have had their licenses revoked...

[craftingmama]

Originally Posted by sparkle1908

I am going through CPS myself...from what was told to us at our information meeting, children that are taken in by private agencies are still "wards of the state" i.e CPS and that they all generally pull from the same group of kids when placing...when she said that I just decided it was easier to just go through CPS...

I do know that a lot of "private agencies" have been found in violation of CPS policies and have had their licenses revoked...

I'm not sure what state you live in, but in the state I reside in, privatae agencies answer to CPS and ORS so it seems there is even MORE regulations for them. Yes, it's the same pool of children, but for us, the extra support, things they provide for the children, their entire theory and approach to foster care was what drew us to them.

[klgoats]

Our agency has a good working relationship with CPS in the foster care arena but we are straight adoption and they don't have a working relationship with them in that area. I love the support they are giving us and they are so easy to get ahold of, however, each time we put in for children CPS is selecting from their own pool of families. I'm afraid that if we switch it'll just delay our process even longer. BTW, in Texas those going through private agencies take the same classes (PRIDE classes) as do the State families. There are actually some additional things we had to do because of our agency's rules. And the license we have for our home came from the State. This may be different for those going with a private adoption - this is a CPS adoption via a private agency.

[mamallama]

I could be wrong but this is my understanding. CPS doesn't pick families, an independent agency does at a staffing meeting. When a bulletin goes out, each agency can submit two families. CPS can submit as many families as they want too.

The homestudies for all of the families are read and narrowed down to the top three picks. Then there is a RAS. A rep for each of the three families (either their private agency or CPS social worker) advocates for them at the RAS meeting. The selection committee chooses one of the three to parent the child.

I think the most important question to ask your agency is how many families have the same criteria you do. If they have ten families all waiting for a sibling group that meets your criteria and they are only allowed to send two families out on each bulletin, it would significantly increase your wait time.

[dcw21668]

All that being said, what if you are going in as straight adoption? We are going through CPS and start PRIDE classes next month. We do not want to foster, because my husband does not believe I will be able to give them back. (which I wouldn't!) What should we expect? Has anyone here tried this? I've been on the tare site and already found my kids (maybe) but I know it's not that easy. How does this work? It's been so long since my girls were little and at home, it is just exciting to think about having little ones in the house again!

[CaddoRose]

Originally Posted by mamallama

I could be wrong but this is my understanding. CPS doesn't pick families, an independent agency does at a staffing meeting. When a bulletin goes out, each agency can submit two families. CPS can submit as many families as they want too.

The homestudies for all of the families are read and narrowed down to the top three picks. Then there is a RAS. A rep for each of the three families (either their private agency or CPS social worker) advocates for them at the RAS meeting. The selection committee chooses one of the three to parent the child.

I think the most important question to ask your agency is how many families have the same criteria you do. If they have ten families all waiting for a sibling group that meets your criteria and they are only allowed to send two families out on each bulletin, it would significantly increase your wait time.

I know at my local CPS office that is not what is done. Their foster to adopt worker looks for pre-adoptive homes for kids in care whose parent's are either TPR or will be soon, in cases where the foster family isn't adopting. This is how I found out my agency isn't in good standing. The FtoA worker did not want to even consider us until my CPS CW told her she should read our HS. I am in really good standing with the CPS CW of the kids I have now.