time limit on how long a child can be in foster home

It is the ideal but doesn't always work that way. Our kids had been in the system for 18 months before TPR was the goal. The BM could have been given up to 24 months.

We heard that too. However, we have had 2 siblings under three years old for 18 months now. They are nowhere near terminating parental rights. The current goal is still reunification. It's so sad that the children don't get the permanency they so desperately need.

wow! i don't understand that either, the ffa and pride all tell you how important attachment is with the foster parents, especially during the "bonding" years, i think it would be more detrimental for them to be with the foster parents for 18 months and then have to be taken and given back to the bp's. I don't get the system sometimes.

The sad thing about our case is that we already adopted our two little ones' older sibling over 5 years ago. They are still in reunification even though mom is dealing with the same issues as before! It's so hard on my adopted son and us while we are waiting for tpr or adoption.

My county is pretty good about sticking to the 6 to 12 months rule. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally if substantial progress isn't made on the caseplan at 6 months, then reunification services are ended and TPR is filed. If the parents have made substantial progress at the 6 month hearing, then an extension is given until 12 months. Only very rarely is a second extension given.

I agree! Recently I took my current foster kids to the pediatrician and the doctor asked me about two kids I had previously. A 3 and 4 year old boy. They were wild as anything when I got them. The three year old boy threw violent temper tantrums, we were suspicious he was autistic. He couldn't speak and both of them were still in diapers. After three weeks, the workers praised us for the difference in them. Their mother was 7 months pregnant, a heroin addict amongst other things. We were told to plan for the baby as well. Even traveled over 100 miles one way to go to medically fragile classes. But... within 3 months from the date we got the boys, the kids were placed back with the mother and her drunken boyfriend who lived with her. Now the pediatrician is telling me that the kids are wild as ever again, the 3 year old does not talk at all again, and she really felt sorry for them. I knew that was going to happen ! I even came home and called their worker asking how they were doing and she said "I don't really know, I don't have the case anymore", with no concern whatsoever in her voice. Sometimes I hate the sacrifices my husband and I make, and how much we try so hard for these kids and the people who are supposed to look out for their best interests, just plain suck at it.

We have had our two kids for 24 months and they are still in the reunification process. Nowhere close to adoption.

This is how it works in my county too. There are exceptions. With my son, the birth father was incorrectly denied services at the beginning. At the six month hearing, his lawyer requested services and they were granted. This restarted the clock for Buddy's case. In the end, it took 17 months before we were able to finalize his adoption.

if you dont mind me asking what county are you in?

There is federal legislation under a permanency bill which tries to push permanency by 12 months for children under three. The problem is that there are numerous reasons for exceptions. There are too many reasons. Some counties use the exception rule over and over again. Other counties try harder for faster permanency. So, it really dpeends on which county you are in. Texas is the place to be for quick cases.