Good chance we are moving

Just wanted to say, we love the Houston area! We are in a suburb, and love it here! I am just finishing all my paperwork and getting ready for the home study, so I can't share personal experiences about fostering here yet. I have heard on this board that TX is stricter on FP than some other states, but that they really try to move on permanency, which is a beautiful thing!

I too am in the Houston area. Everyone is now being, or will be, required to use a private agency vs going directly through CPS. There are a lot of good agencies in this area. I am using a private Christian agency that I really like. I have had one child go from an Emergency Placement to adoption in about 15 months (would have been quicker but got held up in waiting for files...that is another big issue with the whole state of Texas). I don't know if they are harder on FP, as this is the only place I have fostered, but I like the support I receive from my agency and the CPS CW and AW that we had. The Greater Houston area is very nice. I came here with the intent of just doing some extra training for work and am still here five years later.

I am new to the foster care thing, but have lived in the Houston area all my life (except a few years in Austin). I live in the country fairly close to HOuston.

I grew up in the Katy area outside of Houston. We would most likely be back in the Houston area. DePelchin seems to be a big agency that gets good reviews. Spaulding gets good reviews too from what I have seen. We aren't religious so I am concerned about a Christian agency.

I have good things about both of those agencies. I wouldn't worry too much about an agency being "religious" if you feel drawn to one, from the ones I know they do not push their religious views on the foster families. I am on the other side of the city, I am amazed every time I go to Katy just how much it is growing and changing.