We don't currently have any non-finalized kiddos in our home, in fact the agencies I've been talking to have asked that question first. The issue is, at the private agencies, they don't have someone that sends out the homestudies to other states for adoptive placements - they place strictly from calls from local DCFS. So that's what I'm confused about - I have 2 separate homestudies now - foster and adopt. I have 2 separate workers now - foster and adopt. But at the therapeutic private agencies, they only can handle the foster care side of things, NOT the adopt. I realize I would need to foster prior to finalization, but I'm confused as to how the communication would happen.
My private agency works like this, they place kids from DCF for either foster or fost/adopt. (I'm not sure if they place for kids out of state.) So this means I have a SW that is from my agency and my daughter had a CW. My SW came twice a month for visits, handled all my needs and I gave her all the paperwork, which she in turn would give to the CW, who only visited once a month. Because I was my daughter's pre-adoptive home, she also had an adoption worker. This change of command continued throughout the entire placement until it was time to sign adoption placement papers.
When I signed placement papers, my SW and the adoption worker were present and our case was officially back in the hands of DCF. It was then up to the adoption worker to come out for visits, she usually just sent out the CW. The monthly visits continued until finalization.
I would ask the private agency if something similiar occurs with them when a foster case turns into an adoptive one.
Also I know tons of families that called CWs themselves about children they saw on websites. Would the private agency be willing to submit your homestudy if you do all the legwork? I'm sure you know CWs are known for not returning calls, particularly when the case would turn into one where ICPC is involved. It seems they hate that and some don't even know how to do it.