"Cheer up. Remember what the Monty Python boys say."
"Always look on the bright side of life?"
"No, 'Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.'"


Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Information overload.

I am amazed at the incompetence of state chi.ld wel.fare, also known as the Fos.ter Care system, in O.hi.o. If a social worker with the state knows that they are removing a child, why would you not try and “quietly” find a family member to take the child before you grab them and move them around a couple of times before they are in their ‘permanent’ foster family? I just don’t understand.

Anyway, we have found a gem of an agency that really takes pride in the children that come in and out of their care. In fact, they went for part of a state grant to help work with bi.olo.gic.al families and ended up with the whole thing. They have a 100% graduation/GED rate for all their teens getting ready to age out. They are all about treating the whole person not just sticking kids in just any home. I like that.

DH and I have a lot of red tape and hurdle if we are going to be able to adopt the little boy we want. I really think it is worth it though.

So, the goal is to get as much done as soon as we can get it done. If we end up with the child we want, Yay, but we are prepared for it to take a while, too.

Here is a list of classes we need to take:

1. Orientation - 2
2. Case Management and Teambuilding - 3
3. Child Abuse, Neglect and the Impact on Child Development - 3
4. Attachment, Separation, and Placement - 3
5. Discipline and Managing Behavior - 3
6. De-escalation and Policies and Procedures - 2
7. Cultural Issues in Placement - 3
8. Caring for a Child that has been Sexually Abused - 2.5
9. Effects of Caregiving on the Family and Primary Families - 3
10. Permanency Issues for Children and Families - 3
11. Educational Advocacy - 2
12. Infant, Child and Adult CPR and First Aid - 6.5

We have 2 down, 34 more to go. Phew… this is going to be a long several months. I am so excited though.

5 comments:

Jen said...

Why is it you have to jump through so many hoops to adopt but it is so easy for so many completely incompetent parents to just spit out one kid after another. Just an observation.

Monica Fayth said...

wow! that's a lot of classes. Good luck. But then again, probably most new parents would benefit from many of them--and should probably be required.

Birdee said...

I'm excited for you. I like the sound of those classes, but I teach parenting classes (once in a while) and love it. I wished more people were required to take classes before having kids. But! Then we wouldnt have the world we live in - things would be different, maybe a little, maybe a lot, but I trust things are as they should be right now.

jenn said...

Wow! That is a lot of classes! You are right- it's going to be a long few months, but so worth it! I hope it goes as smoothly as possible!

KatieM said...

Oh hun, I am so out of touch with all of this and I truly apologize. I have been severely selfish with my commenting all over the blog world and I am just now getting back to it.

I am so glad that you feel comfortable in your decision to do this. I know you and DH must have prayed hard over it, and I am smiling knowing you feel you made the right choice. You are right, you are up for another battle with all of the information overload as you say, but you sound prepared to do it and I wish you and DH nothing but the best. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and checking up on you much more often =)