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I was extremely and easily discouraged during our last home study. One reason being that my home study worker was allergic to animals, and her and her manager told me my apartment smelled of cat piss. They stated that they could smell it at the other end of the apartment complex. I still to this day don't know if it was true, due to everyone in my family denying the statement(I kept asking everyone, why didn't they tell me?)
The second reason being mine and the home study workers difference in opinion on jobs. When asked why I would go from making 14$ an hour to making 7$ an hour, I told her it was because I hated my 14$ an hour job. I also stated that I loved my current job. Her response was that 'your not suppose to enjoy your job' and she used herself as an example, saying she was only doing this job until she got a masters or something.
I believe I also raised a red flag when I was completely honest with her about my downstairs neighbors doing weed. It frustrated me that sometimes our apartment would smell like weed.
Her and her manager both told us multiple times that we did not know how much money an infant costs. (At the time, mind you not now in our new home, but at the time we had a nursery fully loaded with crib, bottles, diapers, clothes, everything.) That we would not be receiving the 'check' for the child for at least a month after the child was placed(implying we couldn't afford a child.) I told them both that were an infant to come into our home tomorrow, naturally or adoption, we would be more than one hundred percent sure we could take on that responsibility.(we were willing to foster under 12months) I knew people would accuse us of being in it for the money at some point, but right at the get go was pretty damn hard to swallow. They also repeatedly told us that we could not afford a child living 'paycheck to paycheck' I kept telling them we do MORE than live paycheck to paycheck. I don't know if there was a stress test in the home study process, but I feel like that was it; or they were being pretty judgmental without evidence. I provided evidence that all my bills were paid on time; we have never been late on a bill since being out on our own(about two years now, we are both 23 years old).
Another thing is it was implied in a round about manner that if we could accept older children, then maybe our house wouldn't be so bad. They put it extremely subtle. "Would you consider older children?" And when we stated no listing something negative about our home. Repeated the process two or three times. I feel like if I had said yes our home study would have been approved. Which goes against everything in the training course about accepting what you feel comfortable with.
We were also told that they had a 'lovely' home that had been waiting for a baby boy for close to two years and that we would be waiting forever to have a child placed with us(we were willing to accept most disabilities that were mild, essentially if the child could grow to live on their own with a bit of support, we would accept the disability thats kinda how we went through the paperwork selecting acceptable disabilities.) I really felt like she was implying our home was lesser than the other persons home. It was the manager that stated that.
The 'straw that broke the camels back' was when she told me I would have to have a mental health evaluation. When I asked her why she stated it was because I said I thought it was acceptable to place a child in the corner for a minute per their age. I did say that. I didn't realize it was isolation at the time, but I feel all it would have taken was her explaining that it wasn't acceptable. I also felt like the real reason she wanted me to have a mental health evaluation is because I preferred to take a pay cut to get a job I loved, but she couldn't say that outright. I told her that we would not be continuing with the home study process at that point.
The number one reason I couldn't continue is because I felt as though the home study worker was suppose to be like, our support system; I felt no support. I don't feel like we could go into foster care with no support. The other reason was because we were considering moving due to being awoken by the swat team a few weeks before the home study. We had concerns about raising a child in that neighborhood.
All and all I am glad that we moved. But now I honestly still want to be a foster mom. Its not something I can just forget. My main hold back is I don't want to get the same worker. I was polite to her, there is no hard feelings, I wasn't rude but I did not feel supported by her, and if we were to have children placed in our home I don't feel like she would have been a good resource to help us do our jobs as foster parents.
Obviously you only have my biased side, so you may not be able to give me accurate feedback. My dad raised me up to know that if everyone else is on one side and your on the other, then your the one in the wrong. Only its not like that right now, its like my family is on one side(obviously I have wanted to adopt since I was 4 years old, I was in foster care until I was 4 years old I use to say i wanted a rainbow of children when I was a child) and the social workers are on the other. I'm not willing to give up my animals(something they kept asking me.) Me and my husband haven't had sex since this failed, and I think its because we don't know if we want to try to have a natural child.. we are still both hurting from foster care not working out. I don't know what to do at this point. I feel like it would be a nightmare to get the same social worker, especially since we got another(senior) dog who has dry skin. We have 2 dogs that are 8 years old, both under 30ibs and a cat that is a year old.
We live in a subdivision now with a yard, I feel like that is a point in our favor over the apartment. I don't know what to do at this point. Is the next homestudy worker going to be just as bad? Or is it that we are really not fit to be foster parents? I live in louisville ky if it makes a difference.
Amber,
I'm so sorry you had such a terrible time during your home study. It's unfortunate that your social worker seemed to give no support to you. A good social worker is someone that's not looking for ways to fail you. If you are worried, perhaps you could work with a private foster agency in your area?
As far as the pets go, check your state's laws on foster parents having pets. If it's legal, and the animals are cared for properly and they won't harm the children (I'm assuming both of these statements about your pets are true), there's no reason for the social worker to turn you away for that. Do your research on what's allowed and what's not so you can defend your pet choices if necessary.
A social worker should also be okay with your limitations for being a foster parent. If you don't feel comfortable taking in older children at this time, that's okay. You should only do what you feel comfortable. You could share some specific reasons with your next social worker if it comes up again. Then maybe they could better see your point of view or help explain some misconceptions you may have.
As far as I know, having a mental and physical health evaluation is pretty normal for a home study. You have to meet with a qualified health provider, so it's not something your social worker does. Because of that, that may be good thing to get done, partly because you have to and partly because your doctor could be a big advocate for clearing you on your home study.
I hope this is somewhat helpful and that you and your spouse will find or make the confidence to try the home study process again. Good luck! Please let us know how it goes!
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How very frustrating! I'm sorry you went through that. Social workers can get burnt out and it seems like yours definitely was, or at least not in the right path as far as being a case worker.
Like Crystal said, a lot of what she asked for and about is pretty typical, but should have been presented in a much different way.
If you feel like this is the right thing for you I would definitely give it another shot. Most case workers aren't like that.
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