Switching Agencies

If you switch you will have to do everything all over again, from the fingerprints all the way to the classes. CPS does not do their classes in a couple of weekends, they do classes once a week for months. It could take up to 6 months to complete the process with them; at least that is how they did it in my region. There could be many reasons why you aren't getting called about placements:When I was first licensed I went months before a placement. Why? Because while I was waiting for the license to arrive there was a huge personal change at the agency and they\ new staff didn't know me. It took me going to events and introducing myself to everyone before I got known and my agency started calling me. If you are pretty set on what you are willing to accept then they may not be calling you because they know the child is outside your preferences. I only accept babies, right now there aren't many being taken into care but there are a lot of teenagers coming into care. And a lot of sibling groups, I only have 1 open bed, therefore I am not getting called.My agency had paperwork errors and state licensing shut them down from accepting new placements until the paperwork was fixed, that took 2 months. The agency didn't tell us of course, I found out from a former employee as we were friends outside of the agency. Judges may not be ordering removals but assigning family based services, they were doing that here for a long while until the FSB department became overloaded. Then they only removed children that were school age and older; parents of younger kids were given all sorts of social services to help prevent the removal of babies and toddlers. Drop in at your agency's office and ask them if they need any volunteer help, get yourself known and liked by the staff so you go to the head of their list. When my agency has a training held at their offices I go and take a few pizzas and it helps build goodwill as well as helping meet other foster parents who may want to help you out with respite now and again.

I received some different information than Ally. I've been considering switching from my agency to CPS for a couple of months(am waiting for my current placement to be over first). I was told by a friend (who was a social worker until 3 years ago) that the home study is owned by the state and can be transferred between agencies and to the county.I also called a spoke to a woman in licensing at another private agency and was told that my file can be transferred and I would only need to redo any trainings they do in addition to those required by my current agency.I would call CPS or another agency to ask them about switching.