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Originally Posted By LisaWe are relatively new foster parents in Alabama. 10 days after we were approved as Foster/Adoptive parents, we were asked to help with an emergency placement of a 14 year old girl. WHAT A BLESSING THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE FOR ALL CONCERNED! As with most the the couples in our DHR classes, we were interested in adoption of a younger child. However, during the class one of the instructors encouraged us "not to limit ourselfs". That is when we decided to become approved as both Foster and Adoptive parents. We are so blessed and pleased with our foster daughter. She has asked her birth parent to let us adopt her. We will see what the Lord has in store for all of us.ONE WORD OF ADVICE: Contact Family Finders, Inc. in Alabama. They conduct classes to get you approved with DHR. In fact, they were the ones that contacted us. Alabama doesn't have enough funds in the DHR system to hold classes to get everyone interested qualified as Foster/Adoptive parents. Family Finders is a great organization who works with DHR. This was our way into the system. BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE!
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Originally Posted By Randywe are foster/adoptive parents here in alabama,we feel that our state is so far behind the other states.We have been waiting nearly 2 years to adopt and still no child to adopt,whats the problem?we know the child is out there,we are constantly hearing stories of all of the children in our state that need homes and families.We also went through Family Finders and the Jefferson Co.DHR...We are very sad with our dealings with the state of Alabama and Jefferson Co.I`m sorry :-) :-(
Originally Posted By JulesI have inquired with Family Finders regarding Foster Parenting and Adoption. I have plans to take the courses needed to be approved however, I keep hearing horror stories about the state of Alabama making it impossible to adopt a child who is stuck in the system. Is this true in all cases or am I just hearing the select few that have had bad experiences? I have spent many late nights researching the internet for children in need of families and have been overwhelmed by the huge numbers of them out there! I just don't want to believe that the system works against the children being placed permanently. Please tell me anything that you can...I would love to know of good stories in the Alabama system. I also would love to know if anyone has fostered in Alabama, but adopted from another state. Several states seem to have a tremendous amount of children in need of adoption. I was curious to know how difficult that process would be.Thanks for you help!Julesbamajules@home.com
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I have 16 children and want to adopt again. We have been foster/adoptive parents with DHR since 1991. We have had nothing but problems with DHR since we started. There are tons of kids out there that are waiting for homes, but DHR will not help you get them. I don't know if it is a money thing or that the SW are just lazy. I think that it is a combination of both (I know most of them). It is very sad for these kids stuck in the system thinking that any day they will be adopted. I have contacted ADAP and have gotten alot of help with them. They have helped me 3 times with my kids. 2 times have been with DHR. Once has been with the school system. Call James Tucker at ADAP in Tuscaloosa and tell him your problems. He can probably help. He helped me.
Carla Crowder of the Birmingham News would like to do a story about how DHR is making it impossible to adopt the children in Alabama. I have told her how they change policy from week to week, and are now saying that you cannot adopt a child if you have a child in your home that you have stated that you want to adopt. They consider this a pending adoption. The child doesn't even have to be TPR'd yet. If you say that you want to adopt, you cannot adopt another child until that other child has been finalized, even if it takes 2 years. There are children waiting, here in AL that need homes, but cannot be placed because of DHR's changing policy. Ms. Crowder wants to know of other families here in AL that are having trouble getting these kids. I know ya'll are out there, so please e-mail me with your story, and name. If we don't fight this in the media, we will not win this war for our children here in AL. They are waiting for homes. Bev. (e-mail addy is ghousefull@aol.com)
This is a first I've heard of this with the state of Alabama having problems placing children that are in foster care up for adoption. Is it really that bad? I'm finishing up my last parenting class tomorrow. I've still got the CPR/First aid class and the physical to do next week. It looks like from what I'm hearing it might be in our best interest if we go to another state for placement. Are there any new up dates from anyone on placement? Has things gotten any better? I need to hear some good news from someone. I'm hearing also that it's really hard to adopt from Florida. Alot of red tape. So, any feed back I'd love to hear from someone in Alabama that is in this process adopting through foster care. Thanks
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No, we were NOT allowed a copy of our home study. However, with the help of an attorney we were able to "SEE" a copy of it with a DHR social worker and her supervisor in the room with us. Marie Youngpeter in Montgomery is trying to get this changed. Also, Alabama will only send out one home study at a time to other states. So, if you see a child in Louisiana and a child in Virginia you have to make a decision which state can have the home study. Then you have to WAIT to see whether or not you get that child before Alabama will send out another home study!!!! DHR has made it very hard for us to get anything done. We have had to hire an attorney. Again, you may contact Marie Youngpeter (Head of Adoptions) at 334-242-8112. I truly believe she is trying to get some of these problems corrected. You may e-mail us at glisabeth@mindspring.com if you would like to help try to change things in Alabama. Too many children are lost in the foster care system!!!
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Or you can type in Administration for Children & Families Data & Info Systems and click on Data and Information Systems. Next click onState-by-State Adoption and Foster Care Statistics Then chose what you would like to find out. Unfortunately, the information is not for this year, but you will get a general idea.