[jamG]

Hi, I just turned in my application 10/15 and it was a very exciting day. I am taking PRIDE in January but doing some of the other small stuff (finger prints, trauma class, medical consent training...). Is anyone else at this exciting stage? would love to find some people at the beg of their journey as I am sure we will have issues that we could leverage each other on.
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application turn in 10/15. dreaming of a sib set between 3-6!! (wish me luck)

[Zenbaby]

Hi, we are researching agencies to begin the foster/adopt program in Houston. Who are you using (I think you have to IM me that info)? We already went through the home study process for a private adoption but that ended up falling through so we are back on the foster/adopt path.

[AnastasiaC]

We are just starting the process in the Austin area.... we already did the informational meeting, wanting to start PRIDE in January 2012 but we are still looking at what agency we want to use. Would love to share the journey with some other people as well!

[adoptsearch]

For those of you looking for agencies, are you looking for babies because if so, think carefully. Babies are easy to place and CPS does not have trouble placing them (usually).

It may differ in some regions but basically if it is an easy case, the odds are that CPS can easily find a CPS family and not incur the extra costs of going with an agency. The agencies appear to get the more difficult cases and the ones where CPS doesn't have an available home.

[jamG]

Great I am new to the adoption.com so I am not sure what is/is not allowed to share so just to be safe I will IM/PM you the info.

[jamG]

Originally Posted by adoptsearch

For those of you looking for agencies, are you looking for babies because if so, think carefully. Babies are easy to place and CPS does not have trouble placing them (usually).

It may differ in some regions but basically if it is an easy case, the odds are that CPS can easily find a CPS family and not incur the extra costs of going with an agency. The agencies appear to get the more difficult cases and the ones where CPS doesn't have an available home.

I am looking for older kids between 3-6years old. I like working with the agency to get through all the red tape and the support they offer. But I like your idea of at least contacting CPS as well.
________________
My adopt journey:
Information class 12/2010
application turn in 10/2011
PRIDE scheduled 1/2012

dreaming of a sib set between 3-6!! (wish me luck)

[adoptsearch]

Originally Posted by jamG

I am looking for older kids between 3-6years old. I like working with the agency to get through all the red tape and the support they offer. But I like your idea of at least contacting CPS as well.
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Yes, that's pretty much how the agencies sell themselves. We definitely bought that line. In our personal experience, there was the same amount of red tape or perhaps even a little more because now there's an additional person involved.

Not only will the agency reduce your odds of getting a placement but you will find when you get a placement that it's just easier to talk directly with CPS rather than keep going through your agency person.

For older kids, I think an agency might add some value. The OP said she was looking for a baby. In that case, personally I would skip the agency. If you're going to go with an agency, I'd be asking the hard questions about exactly how many placements (of babies) they actually get.

[AnastasiaC]

In my informational meeting, CPS stated that they do not approve homestudies for adoption....so therefore if you were wanting to foster to adopt an infant or want a legal risk infant that you would have to go through an agency that will provide services other then just foster (which is what CPS does). If I'm reading this correctly, that information was incorrect??

Additionally, I was told by the CPS case worker at this meeting that they are not as responsive to foster/potential adoptive parents so that it may be a good idea to look to other agencies. I'm wondering if this is just in our region (7) or maybe I misunderstood.

[adoptsearch]

Originally Posted by AnastasiaC

In my informational meeting, CPS stated that they do not approve homestudies for adoption....so therefore if you were wanting to foster to adopt an infant or want a legal risk infant that you would have to go through an agency that will provide services other then just foster (which is what CPS does). If I'm reading this correctly, that information was incorrect??

Additionally, I was told by the CPS case worker at this meeting that they are not as responsive to foster/potential adoptive parents so that it may be a good idea to look to other agencies. I'm wondering if this is just in our region (7) or maybe I misunderstood.

For older kids, straight adoption is an option. For babies/infants, there really is no straight adoption (or it is certainly very limited). Basically the foster parents will get very high priority in becoming the adoptive family.

So if you want to adopt a baby, you really have no choice but to begin with foster. That's pretty much a reality.

If you want to adopt a 10 year old, that is an entirely different story.

[JeremyC]

My Husband and i are in this stage also. i Have my agency picked out, and my Home study agency. I am sending in my application for Home study TOmorrow, and then will send in my Agency app.

If you want to know more about us you can Check out
Our Adoption Blog or visit our Facebook Page

M@ndi

[Zenbaby]

From what I understand in the Houston area, CPS handles foster to adopt families as well as straight foster families. The only downfall with them is that they are a bit overwhelmed but I think that kind of comes with the territory. I have spoken to a few agencies and they do not seem very receptive to families who want to fost/adopt babies. CPS may be the way to go for us. If you want to adopt older kids or a sibling group, I think you can go with whomever you are most comfortable with. CPS handles all the children in the system so you will have to wait for them no matter what but having more personal attention from an agency may be comforting while you are dealing with the foster issues.

If anyone has experience with CPS or fost/adopt or legal risk, can you please PM me? Thanks!

[familysrfun]

I have had my licence sents July 7th and am doing legal risk. I am still waiting. I was told this is normal. It is hard to wait though. I thought if you were more open you would get kids in your home sooner. any race, 0-8, boy or girl, and up to 3. This has been a dream of mine for a long time. I did not realize there seems to be more foster parents out there. I did not know my case worker would be doing all the work and I would just have to wait. or there were so meny familys sumiting for the same kids. I went to oreantion nov last year. wow. lol I wanted to go through the 4 week pride classes because I thought I could get kids in my home quicker... lol. learning as I go...

[Mommy2NoneHopefully1]

I definitely do NOT agree about no going through an agency. Agencies don't have "extra people" To go through, they follow the state guidelines & until our son was placed I didnt have contact with anyone in CPS. Remember that agencies get paid for placements, so they want you to get placed! I would read through the boards in this section what some of the straight CPS families have been through. I know many people with our agency that have infants. CPS doesn't just use agencies for "hard to place" children. I used an agency with our last adoption & it went amazing & we were blessed with an amazing 2 year old little boy via straight adoption. We chose to go with the same agency this time & I couldn't imagine going straight through CPS where the caseload is so astronomical. If CPS could handle all the placements, they wouldn't contract agencies.

[adoptsearch]

Originally Posted by Mommy2NoneHopefully1

I definitely do NOT agree about no going through an agency. Agencies don't have "extra people" To go through, they follow the state guidelines & until our son was placed I didnt have contact with anyone in CPS. Remember that agencies get paid for placements, so they want you to get placed! I would read through the boards in this section what some of the straight CPS families have been through. I know many people with our agency that have infants. CPS doesn't just use agencies for "hard to place" children. I used an agency with our last adoption & it went amazing & we were blessed with an amazing 2 year old little boy via straight adoption. We chose to go with the same agency this time & I couldn't imagine going straight through CPS where the caseload is so astronomical. If CPS could handle all the placements, they wouldn't contract agencies.

It may differ between regions but I am only reporting our experience. Yes, there are extra layers, by definition. Instead of going through our agency worker, we personally found it was more efficient to go straight to the CPS worker to ask question, follow up etc. Why add an extra link in the chain?

And yes, based on information we have been told, there is evidence that CPS goes first to CPS homes and then to agencies, at least in some regions. If you think about it, it is really quite rational. CPS pays a whole lot more if a child is placed through an agency. Also, pull up the CPS stats -- I don't think it is a coincidence that CPS homes are filled with BASIC kids and the private ones tend to have a higher proportion of Moderate and up.

I think some agencies are great and others not so great. I do not think it is uniformly true that you get better service through an agency. For most agencies, foster is their bread and butter, not adoption. I think the earlier posters who are looking for a baby (and adoption) won't necessarily benefit from an agency.

[Mommy2NoneHopefully1]

I'm not sure what you mean about an extra link when contacting CPS, we talked to CPS durectly. When you get down to statistics in 2010 Texas as a whole had 25% turnover rate for caseworkers (i hear so many people complaining their worker has quit numerous times). Our region they average 34 foster/adoption cased per worker. Last year 484 children were placed on adoptive homes via a CPA versus 381 placed directly through CPS. I think no matter where you are a bad agency is a bad agency & if the DFPS division is poorly run, it ruins the experience. Do your research before choosing an agency, I know agencies in my area where someone with the same guidelines we had applied for 4 kids, during the same time we submitted for 34! Just reading the reviews & checking your regions stats can save a world of hurt.