News of the personal...
I did it. Well, started it, anyway. It will probably be a year or more before I finish it. And there are classes, and checks, and other intrusive-into-my-life things that will have to take place for it to happen. But, I believe when all is said and done, it will be worth it.
You may ask "what is it?"
I have started the process to adopt a child out of the foster care system. I went to an "introduction" tonight, listened to the outline of the process, asked questions, and generally got a better idea of how the whole thing works. Then, I filled out forms authorizing various and sundry checks and verifications to be done, got some more paperwork I need to fill out, and got a better idea of what I need to accomplish to get this whole process going.
Just in case anyone is interested in the actual details of the process, for right now it's just paperwork. Financial disclosure, employment verification, criminal check, child abuse/neglect check, providing references, getting a simple medical check and clearance, and giving the agency a general idea of yourself and what you're looking for in a child. Lotsa paperwork. Not much else accomplished on my end beyond that. In March, I have to take a 30-hour class on parenting children with special needs (including the emotional problems that go hand in hand with the foster care system and what it takes to end up in the foster care system). Then things get really interesting.
First, there's the homestudy, where they come to the house/apartment, do an interview process, assess where the child(ren) will live, how they will be cared for, etc. After that, I'll get "profiles" of children I could adopt to review and either accept or decline. If I accept, it goes to "staffing," where a judge, the social worker, my case worker, the guardian ad litem, and probably a few other folks all get together and look at the child and their needs, compare it to me, my homestudy, and what I can provide and how I can provide it, and see if everything matches up. If it does, there's an adoption contract, which leads to visits, and getting to know each other, and, hopefully, eventually, the child(ren) moving in and the adoption becoming legal and final.
We're not done! After that, there's anywhere from one to two years of follow-ups for both the parent and child's benefit. I'm not too clear on how this works yet, but tonight I was mostly concerned with the getting the child part... less with the what happens after the adoption is final part.
So! It's a process. And it's going to be... interesting. In a word. I have a feeling nothing will happen for a while, then alot will happen all at once, then back to nothing. I'm a little nervous - this is just the very beginning of everything, but... I'm also really excited! It's just kind of amazing for me to think that somewhere out there is a girl or boy who could very well be moving in with me in a year or so. A son, or a daughter. Or both! I've never been pregnant, so I can hardly compare the two experiences, but I can only imagine this is what it might be like to know you're going to have a baby in nine months. And basically, just getting to the point of seeing children I could adopt will take roughly six to nine months. So, it kinda tracks. A little. Maybe... ya think?
FYI, if you're interested: The agency I'm working with is the Kansas Children's Service League, and you can check out kids awaiting families across the nation at Adopt Us Kids, by the Children's Bureau (sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families). You know. If you wanna.
Kisses...
You may ask "what is it?"
I have started the process to adopt a child out of the foster care system. I went to an "introduction" tonight, listened to the outline of the process, asked questions, and generally got a better idea of how the whole thing works. Then, I filled out forms authorizing various and sundry checks and verifications to be done, got some more paperwork I need to fill out, and got a better idea of what I need to accomplish to get this whole process going.
Just in case anyone is interested in the actual details of the process, for right now it's just paperwork. Financial disclosure, employment verification, criminal check, child abuse/neglect check, providing references, getting a simple medical check and clearance, and giving the agency a general idea of yourself and what you're looking for in a child. Lotsa paperwork. Not much else accomplished on my end beyond that. In March, I have to take a 30-hour class on parenting children with special needs (including the emotional problems that go hand in hand with the foster care system and what it takes to end up in the foster care system). Then things get really interesting.
First, there's the homestudy, where they come to the house/apartment, do an interview process, assess where the child(ren) will live, how they will be cared for, etc. After that, I'll get "profiles" of children I could adopt to review and either accept or decline. If I accept, it goes to "staffing," where a judge, the social worker, my case worker, the guardian ad litem, and probably a few other folks all get together and look at the child and their needs, compare it to me, my homestudy, and what I can provide and how I can provide it, and see if everything matches up. If it does, there's an adoption contract, which leads to visits, and getting to know each other, and, hopefully, eventually, the child(ren) moving in and the adoption becoming legal and final.
We're not done! After that, there's anywhere from one to two years of follow-ups for both the parent and child's benefit. I'm not too clear on how this works yet, but tonight I was mostly concerned with the getting the child part... less with the what happens after the adoption is final part.
So! It's a process. And it's going to be... interesting. In a word. I have a feeling nothing will happen for a while, then alot will happen all at once, then back to nothing. I'm a little nervous - this is just the very beginning of everything, but... I'm also really excited! It's just kind of amazing for me to think that somewhere out there is a girl or boy who could very well be moving in with me in a year or so. A son, or a daughter. Or both! I've never been pregnant, so I can hardly compare the two experiences, but I can only imagine this is what it might be like to know you're going to have a baby in nine months. And basically, just getting to the point of seeing children I could adopt will take roughly six to nine months. So, it kinda tracks. A little. Maybe... ya think?
FYI, if you're interested: The agency I'm working with is the Kansas Children's Service League, and you can check out kids awaiting families across the nation at Adopt Us Kids, by the Children's Bureau (sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families). You know. If you wanna.
Kisses...