[SouthernLady85]

Hey everyone just an update...went to our orientation in Jan as planned, submitted initial paperwork, and waiting to hear about PRIDE classes. Our waiting game has officially begun! They told us at the meeting they didn't know when they would offer the classes, and they wouldn't know for about three weeks...the last time they did classes in our area was a year ago. Is that common?

Does anyone know, for the home study, if you have to have plug covers on all outlets if you have childproof/tamper resistant plugs?

[wannababy4]

A year seems like a very long time to wait for classes. Must be slow in your area. Are you using an agency? With the covers, my paperwork says safety plugs are ok. Its either /or. You should be fine on that. If not, I just spent 6 bucks to do mine.

[jamG]

depending on your region it is different, I am in houston and there is a class being offered every month with my agency.

just had my homestudy (this weekend ) and I did not have them covered but told her depending on the age I will cover them. That was find with her she just wanted to know that I had a plan to make it safe.

________________
My adoption journey:
Information class 12/2010
Application completed 10/2011
PRIDE completed 1/2012
Home Study interviews 2/2012

dreaming of a sib set between 3-5!! (wish me luck)

[WhitneyB]

Hello SouthernLady85! My husband and I also just started with the state of Texas.

We sent in our inquiry form on January 19th. We were told that our form would be sent to someone on the inquiry staff for our screening. We were not given a time period for this screening call so I scoured the internet for information on the time period for this. I found on the TxDFPS website where they are to contact you, after you submit your inquiry form, within 10 business days. Well 10 business days went by with no phone call. My husband call on February 2nd since we hadn't heard anything yet.

On February 3rd we received our screening call and she told us a few things that we could expect in the near future as long as our background checks came back good. They said that someone should be in touch to schedule us for our P.R.I.D.E. classes in a week.

Sure enough, on February 10th we received a phone call from the inquiry specialist and we are scheduled for our classes in April. She said that they really aren't doing a lot of classes due to trying to focus more on kinship adoption.

So that is our story so far and the timeline for it.

What region are you in? We are in Region 6.

[SouthernLady85]

We are in region 4. Here they have done one sometimes two information meetings a year... With the one PRIDE class last year. At ours there was only one other couple interested in doing fostering and possible adoption (6 families were represented altogether). I'm thinking there just hasn't been the need to offer more regular classes? The recruitment officer said that they often have to send kids hours away because of the limited foster families in our area.

We aren't with an agency, at this point , the only one represented at our meeting was for therapuetic homes... Maybe one day we will change to a therapuetic license but not yet. I have only done a little research into agencies and haven't found any located in our area, anyone work with an agency that didn't have a local office? Not being able to go and see someone makes me uncomfortable, but that may be the way it works?

It's been two weeks since the meeting and one week since she received our paperwork. I'll probably give it another week or so before calling about the classes. From what I've gathered here, if you don't call you probably won't hear to much

We are wanting to be licensed for up to 3 kids, ages 0-8, any race or gender, and drug exposed babies, BUT we would only take kiddos 0-3 for the first bit as we don't want to disrupt birth order, but may consider with sibling sets. Do you think our range is to limited? What is the 'normal' license, if there is one ??

[Ally_Deville]

Went to an information meeting this evening, submitted my application and will wait to hear back from them regarding background which won't be an issue.

Classes start in April for 11 weeks, which means we should wrap up in June.

I was told the pool situation was not an issue as I live in an apt, YAY!

I have my first aid and CPR certificates already, need them for work. All I need are smoke dectectors and another fire extingusher and we are set.

[WhitneyB]

Originally Posted by Ally_Deville

Classes start in April for 11 weeks, which means we should wrap up in June.

Wow! 11 Weeks? What region are you in? They told us ours will only be four Saturdays from 9am-4pm.

[Ally_Deville]

Region 10, Thursday nights from 6-9. They may use Saturdays as make up days for families who have a valid excuse as to why they missed a day.

[SouthernLady85]

Our recruiter told us the classes here (region 4) would be anywhere from 8 to 15 weeks depending on how they decide to do them. I think 15 weeks seems pretty long to drag out training, especially while trying to balance family time, Church, work, dance class, tball....etc... Oh, well if that's what it takes!

Glad you got set up to start your classes Ally

[Ally_Deville]

Originally Posted by SouthernLady85

Our recruiter told us the classes here (region 4) would be anywhere from 8 to 15 weeks depending on how they decide to do them. I think 15 weeks seems pretty long to drag out training, especially while trying to balance family time, Church, work, dance class, tball....etc... Oh, well if that's what it takes!

Glad you got set up to start your classes Ally

Thanks, and they won't do the homestudy until the classes are completed. So I think I am looking at August before license is complete.

[jamG]

another option is to see if you can travel to a class. I know in Houston there are classes going on every month. some are the mini 5 straight days, others are a couple of days a week for a month. Just a thought if you guys want to get through the process faster.

________________
My adoption journey:
Information class 12/2010
Application completed 10/2011
PRIDE completed 1/2012
Home Study competed 2/2012

dreaming of a sib set between 3-5!! (wish me luck)

[SouthernLady85]

That's a good idea, I know that classes are offered on Saturdays in a city close to ours. We may end up doing those depending on when the classes here are offered. I would probably rather have four really long days of training than 15 weeks of 3 hr classes....

[FruitOfTheHeart]

SouthernLady- Have you thought of looking into an agency? Our agency worker comes to our house and gives our classes. From what I can tell from attending a state orientation meeting, this is MUCH more efficient. We just have to take CPR on our own time.

[SouthernLady85]

Fruitoftheheart, we recently began looking into different agencies. There aren't any located where we live, but from what I can tell several agencies still work with families in different areas(???). I think that an agency would be a better fit for our family ... at least from what I can tell by reading the boards.

We are so new at all of this and I feel like I'm trying to navigate in a foreign world and I don't speak the language!

Oh, we did get some great news today .. my parents have offered to swap vehicles with me (my tuscon for their caravan) woohoo!!!!