Fortunately this is not how adoption works!!! The process is long and involved for the protection of everyone involved. So what does this process look like? The following is what we have gone through so far and what we expect as we go forward:
The Decision (1/1/17-4/25/17):
1. Prayer (1/1/17 - current): Of course this process and decision started with prayer and confirmation of where we believe God is leading us.
2. Research (2/17-4/17): We talked to friends who have adopted and did research online.
3. Bethany Christian Services (BCS) adoption meeting (4/18/17): We attended an introductory adoption meeting. BCS has these throughout the year for anyone who is interested in adoption of any type (infant adoption, international adoption, and older child adoption).
4. Meeting with an Adoption Specialist (4/25/17): At this point we still had questions so we scheduled an appointment to meet with one of the staff of BCS.
The Training and Approval Process (5/1/17-8/18/17):
Once we decided to pursue adoption, the training and approval process began (also during this time we were encouraged to read the book The Connected Child).
1. Initial Application (5/1/17): We filled out an initial application, including referrals and job information.
2. PATH Classes (5/4/17 - 6/8/17): Parents As Tender Healers (PATH) classes are classes mandated by the state that all foster parents must attend (we will technically be foster parents for at least 6 months). PATH training is a series of six 3-4 hour classes that include lessons on everything from types of adoption to types of trauma to CPR and medical training. You cannot be more than 10 minutes late to a class and you cannot miss more than 1 class without having to retake the entire PATH class. In addition to the classes, there is also homework that you must complete before the next class.
3. Parent Profile: We wrote our Parent Profile that will be shown to Case Workers that includes everything from why we should adopt, to our personalities, to who we hope to adopt. We are currently in the process of updating this profile, but bou can see our current one here (keep in mind this is written specifically for case workers and may be updated from time to time).
4. Formal Application (Started 5/30/17): This is a long and complicated form that includes every piece of information you can think of. It includes medical histories, financial forms, references (personal and business), 2 questionnaires about why you want to adopt and your history growing up (both answered individually) and much, much, more.
5. Background Check (6/1/17): We submitted our fingerprints to a background check office (we passed).
6. Physical and Drug Screen (6/21/17): Each person must have a complete medical physical (including a TB test) and drug screen (we passed).
7. Home Study Meetings (6/21/17 - 7/31/17): The Home Study is a series of 4 meetings between us and our Adoption Specialist. The first meeting was in our home. The Specialist did a safety check to make sure that we have enough room and that our home is safe for a child. There are a list of safety measures that go above and beyond what you might expect that are required in order to adopt. The next two meetings were individual meetings where our Specialist asked questions about our childhood and adoption expectations. The final meeting was a meeting with all three of us, where our Specialist asked questions about our marriage and home life. In this part of the process, our Specialist really gets a sense of who we are and who we are looking for.
8. Online Courses (6/21/17-7/31/17): BCS also requires four 2.5 hour online courses to be taken during our home study. To complete the course we had to answer 5 essay style questions at the end of each session.
9. Home Study (8/1/17-9/1/17): At this point, we can relax. During this time our Adoption Specialist takes 3-4 weeks to write our home study. The home study (along with our parent profile) is what will be presented to case workers, so they can get to know who we are. This is an incredibly detailed study about us. This study is what will help the case worker decide if we are the right family for their child. Ultimately the case worker is working on behalf of the child, and the adoption specialist is working on our behalf.
10. Register at adoptuskids.org (9/5/17): Once our home study is written, we can then register for an account at adoptuskids.org where we will search for children.
Once the home study is completed and approved, we are officially approved to be adoptive parents and are ready to begin the matching process. We can also begin applying for grants to help fund our adoption.
The Matching Process (9/1/17-Current):
Depending on what state our potential match comes from, will determine the specifics of this part of the process. In General:
1. We will search adoptuskids.org looking for a child that we think is potential match for us. These listings are updated daily, although new children meeting our search criteria may not happen for weeks at a time. The initial information is typically just a few paragraphs telling you a little bit about the child and a picture. It is the same information that you can see if you go on the website and do a search.
2. Once we find a child we think might be a match, we tell our Adoption Specialist and she is able to get a little more information. Typically this will include some basic information on the child's level of trauma. If our Adoption Specialist agrees that the child might be a fit, then we move on to the next step, if however, she sees something that we didn't, she might advise us to keep looking (go back to step 1).
3. Once we determine that a child might be a good fit, then we submit our home study to the case worker of the child. We can submit our home study for more than one child at a time. Sometimes at this point, our Adoption Specialist will receive a detailed but redacted information file on the child. And at this point it is out of our hands for a while.
4. The case worker will receive the home study of all the parents who are interested in a child. Then a panel will meet with the case worker to look through the home studies, and begin the process of choosing a family. This process may be just a few weeks or could be months. If we are chosen, we move to step 5, if not, we go back to step 1.
5. If we are chosen, I believe at this point we either meet with the case worker (And our Adoption Specialist) or if out of state, we will do a conference call. Sometimes the foster parents of the child will be included at this point as well. How the rest of this process goes is really up to the case worker.
6. If all goes well to this point, a first meeting will be set up for the potential adoptive parents and the child. This might be something like going to lunch or dinner or just hanging out for about an hour.
7. If the initial meeting goes well, then another series of meetings will be set up. If the child is out of state or not nearby, this will require travel and sometimes lodging. At this point, how many and what type of meetings will be determined by the case worker. Typically we can expect a couple of meetings to spend a few hours with the child at a park, then perhaps the child might come to our house for a weekend. Once these series of meetings are done and if they go well then we go to the next step
Placement:
8. At this point, we have cleared most of the hurdles and adoption is highly likely. But first, we must foster parent the child for at least 6 months, maybe longer. This is considered "Placement." The child is "Placed" in our home and will live with us.
9. Gotcha Day: After at least 6 months of being foster parents, we can then petition the courts for adoption. Gotcha day is the day that the adoption becomes official and the child is legally our child. On this day, we will go to the courthouse and everyone meets with the judge, who then (hopefully) declares the child to be our child, and us to be the child's parents. A new birth certificate is issued with a new name (sometimes the child will even choose a new first name...but definitely will take our last name). And as far as the world is concerned, it is as though the child was born directly into our family. Typically on this day, you have a Gotcha Day Party!
This entire process can take anywhere from 5 months to several years. On average it takes 1 year from the time you start the process for a child to be "Placed" in your home. For us, it may take longer as we are going to be very specific about who we are looking for and are willing to accept. It is a long process, but then again, it needs to be. This entire process is not about the parents...but instead it is about the child. Every effort is made to make sure children are placed in a home where they can heal and will have a forever family!
No comments:
Post a Comment