Advertisements
I have recently read that some agencies require you to get up-to-date medical exams and vaxinations. I am up-to-date on all my vaccines, but my hubby has not had a vaccine in over twenty years, nor does he plan on getting any in the future. so my question to you is this...will it be likely that this will become an issue in the adoption process? and also we are not planning on getting our children vaccinated with all the suggested vaccines because we feel that they are not necessary, and do more harm than good, will the agency or social worker try to force us into this after the adoption? I know that most of the people who read this will not agree with it, and that is ok, but this is how we believe and we don't want to be forced to do something to ourselves or our children that we believe will be unhealthy. I appreciate all the feed back. -beccer
Like
Share
I don't know what kind of adoption you are considering...my husband and I did have to have medical exams, but no vaccinations. Neither an agency nor a social worker can force you to vaccinate your children once the adoption is final. Once an adoption is final you make all the decisions concerning your child and their care and you can make whatever choices you feel are right. :D Darci
Advertisements
You did post in the Foster Care & Adoption forum, so be sure you understand that the children will live with you for a while before the adoption can be finalized. Depending on your state law, and the caseworker's workload, you could have the children 6 months or a year or even more before finalization. During the pre-finalization time, the children are still wards of the state and would have to follow all the state worker's recommendations, which WILL include regular vaccinations. After the adoption the children are yours to parent. But before the adoption they are the state's children to parent. Be sure you can follow all the rules before you get involved, before it's a question involving a specific child. Good luck!
I just wanted to input on the social worker only attending medical appointments. We have had our DFD since she was 1 day old...she has never been to a doctor's appt with her SW. We are the only one's that take her...or any of our foster children to doctor's appointments. This may be something that varies by state or agency. I plan on knowing there medical problems, they are living in my house and are in my care. I cannot discuss them with anyone else but the family taking care of them should be aware of their medical history.
a sw has never taken any of my foster children to the dr. i can't imagine if they were responsible for all dr appts as well as their other responsibilties, nothing would get done. i do agree that while the children are still wards of the state, regardless of who takes them to dr. appts, they will have to be up to date on their vaccines. but as they tell you during the adoption, once they are officially adopted legally it would be as if you have given birth to them and you must make decisions you feel are in their best interests.
Advertisements
As for the medical exams prior to adoption for parents...... In our state you will not get past the first part of the Homestudy process without providing the vaxine history and medical exam---In Oregon your homestudy is not even given to a caseworker until the VAx history and most recent medical exam date, doctor and contact info is porvided. Additionally this medical exam must be done annually until the adoption is final. There are a lot more requirements for adoption other then the VAX history and I am not sure how it will appear to a caseworker if an issue is made of the simple requirement to have your shots current? It could look real bad even if your state does not require before starting the Homestudy. In some cases depending on the couples age even other tests are required.... One would wonder why a PAP smear is needed? But here it is. Unwillingness to take care of our own health is a big red flag for any caseworker. Especially when adopting through the state where we are able to adopt at an older age. I myself have been amazed I was not required to take other 'age related' tests before I was given a 1-year old to mother at the age of 40. The process of Homestudy is very invasive.....there will be questions that you cannot even imagine being valid to the kind of parent you might be. Questions about childhood and other things....I often look to see where the question about the color of my panties is....(thank goodness they didn't care about that but to be honest I would not have been surprised.) Also it is a know issue that a child being placed in a new environment will often have one virus after another and be sickly for weeks after the move. The last thing we want is a dady getting chicken pox from his Foster child. My birthchildren gave me chicken pox when I was 28 and I nearly died---When we realized my husband never had them--He got the new vaxine we would rather have him live and not get chicken pox's.