[LORILUVSMIKE]

We have been licensed for almost 3 years and still have not have a single placement. We are very specific on what we want. We want legal risk, single boy ages 0-4.

Any advice? We are considering dropping out. This is alot to go through for no reason.

Thanks!

[tctahoe]

Have you spoken to your cw about this? That does seem very specific and more than likely unless you are doing foster-adopt you might not get a placement as this criteria might not come available very often. I would talk with your cw and see what your options are. 3 years is a long time to wait. Obviously I'm not sure where you are located, but I would talk this over with your cw, as they should also have been talking with you all this time about what your options are and how many kids that fit your criteria are actually available etc.

Also have you been to any match meetings? ask your cw about this. they happen a couple times a year, but it is something worth looking into as well. At those you can talk to other cw's and supervisors and also see other children available. Just some ideas. It is hard not to be discouraged, but I would think that most of the children in this range would go straight to foster homes and you might be up against the foster parents adopting them or RU, I'm not sure how many legal risk are out there.

[waiting4bebe]

I also was told if I did legal risk only, I would be waiting a long time since my ages are also 0-4 either gender. I was then talked into adding Foster to Adopt to increase my chances. My dh and I agreed and now have a 20 month old baby since June. We are so happy but now the worries start about RU. I don't think I will do it again after this child since our ultimate goal is adoption. I will say the time we have had her so far has been one of the best moments. Good luck! Maybe you can increase to a sibling group of two? Just an idea to help your chances.

[myhappy]

Our PRIDE instructor, told our class that you could not get a child under 4 without being foster to adopt. We are looking to adopt an older child but were encouraged to change from straight adopt to foster to adopt.
Good luck to you.

[bethy724]

Since your licensed already & don't want to foster have you considered opening your home to provide respite care? I've met so many families & even an 18 month old available for adoption I had for a weekend. You will meet so many foster families & they will know your interested.

[parenting-over-40]

Like the others, I would encourage you to seriously consider Foster to Adopt or offer to do Respite care. Respite care would at least give you a taste of what Fostering would be like before you took the full plunge (so to speak).

Also, it depends on where you are located in Texas. My area has a lot of babies lately (per CW and the hospital). PM me if you want to tell me what part of the state you are in and I will be happy to tell you what area I am talking about. Good luck on your decision.

[speaknspell71]

Hi there,
We are going through PRIDE classes now, probably won't be certified until early spring. We are doing "foster to adopt." (legal risk)

I hadn't thought about signing up to provide Respite care.

Does anyone know, if I understanding correctly, that if you provide respite care for a "foster only" home...would you as a respite family be approached later if the child becomes legal risk/available to adopt? Or is the respite home factored into that process at all?

Thanks!
Brenda

[myhappy]

How long (on average) is respite care? It was not really discussed in class and would like to learn a little more about it.

[dachshunds4you]

Respite care can be for a day, a week or for a month. It is usually a foster parent who is going on vacation, and needs someone to watch their foster child during that period.
Many families need respite care during Holiday times, since some are unable to take them.

Letting your agency know you're open to respite care helps you meet other families, and your agency appreciates it.