Saturday, February 26, 2011

Starting all over again

As of February 8th I could apply to adopt again.  You have to wait one year after placement of a child to wait again.  Now I had done my homework.  I have the Child and Youth Enhancement Policy in my office.  I have it for work purposes because there is a portion on youth transitioning into adult hood and adult services and my office is listed in it as part of the adult services.  So a few months ago I drug out the binder and read the section on adoption.  It said that application could be made again one year after placement of a child. 
So today I contacted my social worker and asked her for the application papers to apply to adopt again.  She did up a package I picked up and as I was filling it out I thought maybe I should give the website a quick peruse, just to see if there were any new children available.  There was a sibling pair; girl and boy ages 6 and 2.  I thought this is a perfect age group if I was going to adopt a sibling pair as my "ideal" child is either older or younger than Jacob so to have one of each would be great!  So I email the social worker.  She responded that even though I already had the package I actually couldn't start the process until September as this is when Jacob became legally mine.  WHATT!!!????  Instantly I was ticked off for a variety of reasons. 
1) What policy manual was she reading because the one I have says one year after placement; not legal.
2) In July I had been told the legal process would be started but it didn't happen until I started questioning it in August and September.  So if I have to wait until then because of someone not actually doing what they said they would ticks me off. 
3) Who is this benefiting?  Kids being kept in the system for longer periods of time is not ideal so why have a year after placement; which is based on someone doing paperwork?!
So I didn't respond at first.  I was ticked and knew better than to say something right then.  Plus I'm very wary of being too much of a pain in the you know what and then getting the label of annoying client.  We all know those people.  However if I have to go down that road I would because it is for the betterment of my potential child and family and I don't care if I have to have that label in the long run.
So I left the office and then returned after lunch.  There was an email from my sw'r.  She said that she double checked with her supervisor and it was indeed a year after placement, not legal and she apologized.  Hallelujah! 
So I have filled out all the papers, made my doctor's appointment and contacted my references to ask them to speak on my behalf about my parenting.  So I'm thinking maybe mid March I'll have everything and a meeting with my social worker to discuss my preferred child and be put back on the wait list!

1 comment:

Yvette said...

Best of luck to you and Jacob on addinf to your wonderful family. You are a wonderful mom and any child who is welcomed into your home will be very lucky.