Rob and I started fostering classes last month. We started the process back in the spring, but had to wait until August to get into an open slass. We are four weeks down, with four more to go. The homestudy is dragging out, and driving me a little crazy. What started out as a pretty quick process, has turned into everything I dread about working with a government agency.
We have had one visit with our social worker, got finger-printed, and had a health inspection. We are waiting on two more SW visits, a fire inspection, and for our references to be checked out. The biggest hitch is that we will miss one class next week, because we will be on vacation. In the info session last spring, they told us a missed class could be made up in the next session OR with our social worker. Now I am being told we have to wait until the next session to make this class up. Which means we have to wait TWO MONTHS to make up one fucking class.
When I pointed out that it would be two extra months the SWs all looked confused. Did I really need to explain to them that since it is the sixth class out of eight, and there is two weeks between sessions that that makes EIGHT WEEKS?
For an agency that is begging for foster families, this just seems so counter-intuitive to getting people licensed. It's also brought out the protective, advocating mama bear in me. I am sure my name is already on a list somewhere as a potential pain-in-the-ass. It hasn't helped my situation much by being the one to correct the SW's when they give out erroneous info on RAD, drug exposure, and attachment issues. Whatever. This new journey has lit a new passion in me.
We have had one visit with our social worker, got finger-printed, and had a health inspection. We are waiting on two more SW visits, a fire inspection, and for our references to be checked out. The biggest hitch is that we will miss one class next week, because we will be on vacation. In the info session last spring, they told us a missed class could be made up in the next session OR with our social worker. Now I am being told we have to wait until the next session to make this class up. Which means we have to wait TWO MONTHS to make up one fucking class.
When I pointed out that it would be two extra months the SWs all looked confused. Did I really need to explain to them that since it is the sixth class out of eight, and there is two weeks between sessions that that makes EIGHT WEEKS?
For an agency that is begging for foster families, this just seems so counter-intuitive to getting people licensed. It's also brought out the protective, advocating mama bear in me. I am sure my name is already on a list somewhere as a potential pain-in-the-ass. It hasn't helped my situation much by being the one to correct the SW's when they give out erroneous info on RAD, drug exposure, and attachment issues. Whatever. This new journey has lit a new passion in me.
Hi. I just popped over hear from Last Mom.
ReplyDeleteThey really do make it insanely difficult! I'm happy to read that your fingerprinting is done, at least. That was the big hold up for me:
http://rebecca-hawkes.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-should-have-been-criminal-how-my-lack.html
It's also worse now due to the budget cuts.
ReplyDeleteDidn't think about budget cuts. UGH. Which may be what is holding up the fire inspector from getting his happy ass out here. He's had the order since June.
ReplyDeleteHey Rebecca...welcome and thanks for stopping by! The fingerprinting was easy for us, because our SW had just done training on it and did it herself. Now that I think of it, surprised we haven't heard back about them. When we did a HS two years ago for a domestic adoption, we heard back within two weeks. Hmmmmm.....
The process can be so frustrating. We missed the informational meeting and they were going to make us wait another 8 months to take the next class. It's a shame they don't offer some makeups online. I will be sharing your story on my blog on.the 29th of this month.
ReplyDeleteThanks Penelope...that's cool! I was talking to a fellow participant in class last week, and she gave me the name of the lady in charge. She said her husband works nights, and needed to make classes up and when she talked to the lady, it was all cool. SO...hopefully this means we will not have to wait two months. :) So they have you waiting 8 MONTHS?!?! That is INSANE!
ReplyDeleteWe drove to another region to attend the information meeting. The process still took 9 months.
ReplyDeleteI posted this at
http://foster2forever.com/2011/09/how-to-get-a-foster-care-license.html