Orientation Meeting last night!!

I am waiting to find out when orientation is for polk county... hopefully it will be next month. DO you need to get your physicals and home inspection done during the mapp program? GOOD LUCK!!!

They didn't say anything about a physical during orientation. And they said that Florida state requires that you complete MAPP classes before starting the home study. I'm not sure if its different in other counties, we're in Marion, but she just said Florida State at the orientation, so I think its the same elsewhere. Let me know, I'm curious! At first I was fine with our MAPP classes starting in September, now I'm getting impatient, lol. It's so exciting and the orientation only builds on that!! Good luck and let me know how your orientation goes !

I am waiting to hear when there will be an orientation here in polk county... she said maybe in aug. I am very excited!!! Keep me posted on how things are going for you.!

We had our orientation and now are waiting for our MAPP classes to start. They don't start until September 31, and will be once a week for 10 weeks. Should be finished before Christmas. Which is good for us because we'll be moved to our new home (in town and not in the country where we are now) before the home study starts :) I'm starting to get anxious, so I'm keeping myself busy by reading books on connection parenting (thats what they teach in the MAPP classes) and "Raising the Hurt Child" Can't wait for September!!!

Well we became foster parents back in late 2006 and we did the expidited MAPP classes (4 classes all day each Saturday for a month). They started our home study after the 1st class....and it was completed and we were licensed a month later. Not sure if it's changed thou and we are in Duval County also. And YES we did have to have a physical form filled out by our primary care doctor. It was pretty simple stuff....like did he feel we were psychologically ok and medically ok to take in children, etc...

we had out orientation aug 17 and mapp classes started aug 24st. The first class you will recieve a huge folder of papers and information that will need to be finished by the next class...very scarey lol. I guess, all of that information is the "meat" of the homestudy. Also, in the 2nd class you will be finger printed.I will keep ya updated on the rest of the classes

there is no time limit. Just let them know at your next class but it's no big deal

I just recently went to my orientation, as well. Most of what I learned was information I had already found on my own during research, but I was still excited. We start our MAPP classes on October 30th.

Our MAPP classes started yesterday. There was a pretty good turnout, but the facilitator did say that we should expect to see the numbers dwindle as the classes go on. I am so nervous about all the things that we have to submit. I know there are other couples who have more money than we do, and I am concerned that our finances might put us behind someone else with a higher income. We are by no means poor, but we're not putting money away at the end of the month, either. We could comfortably support ourselves and one to two children. What made me nervous was a comment the facilitator made about wanting to see that there was money in potential family's savings accounts. I don't know how closely they look at that, but we're just not savers. I don't want that to prevent us from becoming loving parents. My dad never had extra money when I was growing up, but I always felt loved.

I know in our case they wanted to see that we could cover all our bills without using any foster care stipend money...that was it. They didn't care about savings but savings is a good thing. We have an emergency fund setup just in case. With having a home it could come in handy...But then I've always been a saver myself.

We have to bring in a photocopy of ALL of our bills, including credit card bills, cell phone, electricity, car payments, mortgage, etc.. I completely understand the mortgage and insurance, but my credit card and cell phone bills? I feel like I'm being judged more on my finances than anything else. I'm still going bring everything and stick with it. I refuse to be one of those who quit because of all the paperwork and red tape. I'll do what I have to in order to give a child a forever home. It's a nice though that they want to be so thorough, but it's a pain in the butt!

Well we had to do the same and we were just getting placement of our niece. They want to make sure you can support yourself without the money coming for the foster children. I would hope that would be normal for them to check your finances.

Made it through our first two sessions, now onto the REAL paperwork, haha. I don't mind doing it. I'm just anxious to get our license. There is a sibling group that I would like to submit for. I get more excited every day. On a side note, earlier this year, my husband wasn't 100% on board with adopting yet. We had gone through years of fertility treatment, and he was still mourning the idea of us not having our own. I took time, and slowly but surely, he came around. I made sure not to push him. He actually started bringing up the classes and things on his own. Now, he is totally involved, and it has brought us closer. Yesterday at class, we had to do some role playing about two girls being bounced from foster home to foster home and the original home that they came from. We also learned about some real situations that children who are placed in foster care had to deal with before they were removed from their homes. On the ride home I asked my husband if any of what we have been talking about in class has made him change his mind about adopting from foster care. His response (he is a man of few words) was, "Nope." :love: Given the fact that about 8 months ago he didn't want to talk about it, I think we've come a long way, and it's so nice to see him as on board as I am.