Called the state again

For what it's worth the recruitment goes through Heartfelt Calling. I'm thinking if I get the same answer I will just call my local DSS/Adoption office.

Well that was a bust: Well South Carolina has over 600 approved families and has an estimated time of over a year for foster care adoption application submission. Looks like coming up with $30k is what we have to do. They flat out told me that SC doesn't do ICPC placements because it is "too difficult".

Well we talked to DSS directly and they told us that it doesn't matter how many families the adoption process is always open

I'm so glad to find another SC adoptive family on here! You're the first one!! :woohoo: Ok, I got the same thing from Heartfelt Calling when they called us week before last to follow up. In fact, we were told that because of the "over 600 approved families" waiting, they no longer have the foster-to-adopt program. And yet, my foster mom friends constantly tell me there aren't any families out there wanting these kids. The coordinator for HC is actually coming for a home visit TODAY at 5p so i'm ducking out of here early but I will let you know what she tells us straight up about being able to get a child 5 or under because that is what we would like also. Our youngest just turned 7 and we would like a boy so there is no way we're comfortable with over 5 yrs of age. Good luck and keep me posted on your end. Will try to post after our visit later tonight. There have GOT to be kids out there for us who need homes so don't get discouraged!! Several of our friends have adopted through DSS and have had positive experiences.

Thanks for the response. Another awesome fost -adopt mom messaged me on here too from close by one of Charleston suburbs. Please let me know. She did tell us we could go under the special needs umbrella so we are talking it over

well, we had our first home visit from our coordinator from Heartfelt Calling and i'm sorry i didn't post last night but it got crazy around the house and then here at work. It went really well. I did mention what i hear from my other foster mom friends who tell me that "no one wants babies" and she confirmed that. In fact, she told me that there was an 8 month-old in a children's shelter right now. SO don't give up based on what you hear. However, it makes no sense how these kids are out there and no one is calling any of my friends who have openings in their homes for them. The system is definitely broken but hopefully something can be done. Also, "special needs" you know can be so many minor, correctable things. I'll keep you posted on our progress. It helps to gather all of the paperwork you possibly can. I had much of ours to give her last night and she told me we should be licensed quickly based on this.

Yeah we are definitely fine with minor chronic or moderate correctable special needs. Our daughter does daily injections for her arthritis so needles, medication and monitoring isn't super scary. who did you meet with last night? We don't have anything yet ready--except some official (read: original) birth and marriage certificates/decrees. I think we will be calling her probably tomorrow--my husband is contemplating what special needs actually means and all that. He said he would let me know by the end of tomorrow but I think I am going to ask him if he's up for making a decision tonight.