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We live in NW Houston and have even licensed with a primarily foster agency since June 2012. The agency is now on referral hold for an undetermined amount of time. We have two boys (9 & 6) and want to adopt a Caucasian/Hispanic girl age 0-6. We haven't had any placements with our current agency and only were referred to two babies that fell in these requirements the whole time but both babies went to family members before RAS. We are going to switch agencies but have no idea where to go and I don't want to make another mistake. Any experience/advice would be great!! We are considering Gladney's foster, new beginnings and international programs, Depelchin, Arrow, Spaulding, Pathways, & Montgomery county CPS (any others??). Thank you in advance, I am feeling a bit lost in all this! Please PM me!!
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My wife and I are with Arrow right now. We have been licensed with them since October of 2011. We've had 2 placements through the foster-to-adopt program. They are a good organization. Only thing you need to be leary of, and I think this goes with any adoption agency that deals with CPS, if you're going to try the "foster-to-adopt" route, you will get placements very quickly. However, you have to understand that just like any other agency, because of the garbage that CPS pulls, they will straight up lie to you and about you in front of the judge. We had a placement that was with us for over a year, rights had been terminated, and CPS worker said they were going to back us. All of a sudden at termination hearing some woman comes up to the bench with the CPS worker and it turns out it was our foster son's aunt who had a previous criminal report and CPS investigation on someone in the home and CPS backed her. CASA and the ad litem all backed my wife and I. It didn't do any good as the rights were terminated and the aunt, who hadn't shown up in over a year or asked to see the foster son, got to have custody because Texas is a relative first state over anything. We had a lawyer standing right next to us to interject and file an intervention but it would not have done any good.Again, not Arrow's fault at all. Although unless you've had an actual placement and had one removed you need to prepare your heart for this kind of potential heartache. Trust me it will not only impact you but your family and friends and is gut-wrenching to see what the system does to these kids.Arrow is a great agency. However with any agency if you go foster to adopt just get ready for a lot of bureaucracy and heartache. Good luck and I hope you do not have to experience anything my wife and I had to experience.
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My wife and I are with Arrow right now. We have been licensed with them since October of 2011. We've had 2 placements through the foster-to-adopt program. They are a good organization. Only thing you need to be leary of, and I think this goes with any adoption agency that deals with CPS, if you're going to try the "foster-to-adopt" route, you will get placements very quickly. However, you have to understand that just like any other agency, because of the garbage that CPS pulls, they will straight up lie to you and about you in front of the judge. We had a placement that was with us for over a year, rights had been terminated, and CPS worker said they were going to back us. All of a sudden at termination hearing some woman comes up to the bench with the CPS worker and it turns out it was our foster son's aunt who had a previous criminal report and CPS investigation on someone in the home and CPS backed her. CASA and the ad litem all backed my wife and I. It didn't do any good as the rights were terminated and the aunt, who hadn't shown up in over a year or asked to see the foster son, got to have custody because Texas is a relative first state over anything. We had a lawyer standing right next to us to interject and file an intervention but it would not have done any good. Again, not Arrow's fault at all. Although unless you've had an actual placement and had one removed you need to prepare your heart for this kind of potential heartache. Trust me it will not only impact you but your family and friends and is gut-wrenching to see what the system does to these kids. Arrow is a great agency. However with any agency if you go foster to adopt just get ready for a lot of bureaucracy and heartache. Good luck and I hope you do not have to experience anything my wife and I had to experience.