Help!

I have wondered the same thing...I am in PA and the agency I am in doesn't want me to look out of state...my DH finally had a talk with them and he told them, we either can look out of state or if we don't find a match, then we are thinking we may get pregnant again. I am going to be 37, DH will be 40. We have wanted to adopt for at least 5 years and finally got a homestudy completed last November and officially can look..but so far nothing has happened...We feel like if nothing changes, then we may consider another agency that is more willing to work all over the US..or will just go for another biological child. We have a strict timeline to adopt and if doesn't happen, if we want a 3rd, we have 2 bio boys, 12 and 10 then the bio route may be our only option. We get sick how many kids we have had to "pass Up" because our current agency got mad we were looking out of state. Finally, after my DH talked to them, they seemingly have opened up to the idea of at least neighboring states. But to be honest, I kind of felt angry that we found kids and weren't allowed to put a homestudy in for any of them even though this is SUPPOSED to be about a child needing a home and us wanting a child. I am eager to see if anyone else responds because I am wondering the same thing.

We are going through Cumberland County CYS and here you are only allowed one agency at a time. I believe this is true of most if not all agencies based on some of the other peoples responses in our classes but I don't know this for sure. Sorry it's not a definite response. I'm surprised this wasn't covered in your orientation...it was one of the first things ours covered.

I don't think you can be registered with two or more. So you need to find an agency or county that you feel will work best with your family. If that means switching then do so! I know our agency does out of state placements (I have one now!). Ive done fostering, fost to adopt, and straight adoption. Good luck everyone!

I have been with a private agency now for three years, still haven't gotten a placement. We have now renewed our homestudy because it expired or whatever it's called. We are with the same agency. It's been so long since our orientation, January of 2006, that I forget what they said about this. We have been thinking about going to Cumberland County Children & Youth to see if they could take us, but do not want to have to go through filling out, gathering, etc., all of the stuff they need for a homestudy. Also, we don't want to have to pay over $1,000 to transfer it to the County from the private agency. Does anyone know if we can just transfer the actual homestudy, and all the paperwork, to the County without having to pay again? I know, I sound confused, and I've been involved in this for several years. We just want a daughter!! Between my husband and I we have three boys, 13, 20 and 25. We are not getting any younger!!??:) We are looking in the 8 to 14-age range, and are now in foster care. It sounds like you have been successful doing the exact same thing we want to do? If you could also give me some tips on how to "make this happen," I would really aprpeciate it! Thanks!!

Our agency, Diakon, doesn't seem to care at all if we go out of state. Actually, we almost had kids twice, were among the top three families chosen, although in the end we were not the family chosen:( The only thing about going out of state it almost seems like we are "competing" for kids, and may the best family win. I don't know, it just doesn't seem right. We have a lot to offer a child, good jobs, stable, etc., but it just hasn't happened. Sometimes we just want to give up, but then it starts gnawing at us again. We are not able to get pregnant anymore, so that's not an option.

I have been trying to find a match since November 2008..and though it hasn't been that long...I am ready at the end of summer/early fall to consider other options. I can still get pregnant and wonder now..If I am supposed to just do that..My 3 pregnancies, resulted in one M/C and 2 biological boys now 12 and 10 and we just want a girl now and really want to adopt. But with us, at nearly 37 for me, DH going to be 40..we are running out of time. So we think, do we continue TRYING to adopt or are we wasting time where soon I may be too old to conceive. We go through menopause early in my family and though I am not there yet..it could happen. I don't know how anyone goes through this for YEARS! I just want an answer and honestly..I am ready to have that 3rd whatever way its meant to be...I give those of you credit to keeping trudging along. DH and I have agreed by the one year mark we will switch agencies. Our agency is fine, but if they don't find us someone by then, we will look at ALL our options. Good Luck to all of you who still wait as well.

HappyMom09 I read your post today.I am also with Diakon and have been waiting,not nearly as long as you however. I was licensed in September of 2008,but got my first call the end of August which I declined.I took the second call which came 2 days later.They children stayed for 6 months and left almost 2 months ago. Since then not 1 call.They told me in may be a while but the length of your wait way to long.I am also considering changing if I do not at least get a call by the end of the month.It means I would have to go to a county whom I have had a good relationship with and it may work to my advantage but I am not sure how it would work either.I hope someone responds who has some knowledge of how this is done.

My attorney just told me that Pennsylvania is now not asking for home studies for adoption. Law has just passed.

Does this pertain to foster mom who go on to adopt their foster children....more details please. Thanks in advance.

[INDENT][/INDENT] Sorry that is for step children