Our first adoption meeting was great. It was specifically for foster to adopt families instead of straight foster care or adoptive families, so we got information specific to our situation. We already knew most of the information because we spent so much time researching, but we really enjoyed meeting other families starting the process, hearing from someone who had already adopted through the program, and meeting the social worker who will be doing our homestudy. When we got home, we did a little happy dance with our certificate of completion, the fist of many documents to be added to our adoption file. We still have a couple of weeks before our next step (foster care orientation,) but the ball is rolling and we are so happy.
Adoption Joys and Concerns:
- Joy -- Washington has a foster to adopt program, which means that children are pre-screened when they enter care so that they are more likely to be put in a home that can meet their needs. Those whose parents will likely have parental rights terminated are put in foster to adopt homes, which cuts down on children being moved around a lot and makes it more likely that when children are placed with us, they will be in a forever home.
- Concern -- There is legal risk. There are times when children are with foster parents for years and end up going back to birth families (less likely in foster to adopt, but still possible.) This is the scariest thing to me as we move forward.
- Concern/Joy -- A lot of our meetings are in West Seattle, which means we have to take days off and leave work early. Fortunately our work situations are flexible enough right now to make it work without too much trouble.
- Joy -- We were informed about a support group (also on the west side) that we are planning on checking out. If anyone knows of one on the east side, let us know!
Adoption Joys and Concerns:
- Joy -- Washington has a foster to adopt program, which means that children are pre-screened when they enter care so that they are more likely to be put in a home that can meet their needs. Those whose parents will likely have parental rights terminated are put in foster to adopt homes, which cuts down on children being moved around a lot and makes it more likely that when children are placed with us, they will be in a forever home.
- Concern -- There is legal risk. There are times when children are with foster parents for years and end up going back to birth families (less likely in foster to adopt, but still possible.) This is the scariest thing to me as we move forward.
- Concern/Joy -- A lot of our meetings are in West Seattle, which means we have to take days off and leave work early. Fortunately our work situations are flexible enough right now to make it work without too much trouble.
- Joy -- We were informed about a support group (also on the west side) that we are planning on checking out. If anyone knows of one on the east side, let us know!
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