We are going through an agency to adopt from the foster care system, we are seeking a girl (or two) between the ages of 4 and 10 (we have two biological boys).  I don’t know how many interest forms I have filled out and submitted! So far we have been 2nd choice for one child.  This process is frustrating! Our homestudy expires in August of 2011, I’m not sure if I want to renew it.  We were told from the beginning by several agencies that there were lots of little girls available in our age range, shouldn’t take more then 18 months!

We have also experienced some delay in our current search—and our agency workers suggested that the parameters we’ve put on the sort of child we’re looking for probably are the cause.  Could be the same in your situation, too.  So you can reconsider your choices of gender, age, race, number of children, and challenges the child faces… and you’ll find many more children that fit those new parameters.  But do you want that?  Will it suit your family?  Only you can know.  Something else to consider:  adopting outside your state.  Look at http://www.adoptUSkids.org to see photolistings of children all over the country.  Your agency probably prefers to arrange in-state adoptions, but you absolutely can adopt outside your state! If you have a current homestudy, then just register with the website… and take it from there.  Good luck!

We can only adopt from our state and one other without incurring additional fees.  But I am registered on the adoptuskids website and do look at it daily, maybe next year if nothing happens we will bite the bullet and go ahead with the additional fees.  Good luck with your search.

blueekb2, good post, and I would also add that the other advantage the bigger towns and cities have are the number of services. I am not a city person, but I would have to say that living near a major city has been an advantage for us in terms of the variety and quality of services that our boy can get.

I’m wondering about the fees you mention in adopting from your state’s foster care system.  There are no fees in our state!  (except to take the CPR classes and pay for the fingerprinting, etc. during the initial application process…).  And there’s no rule about which states we can adopt from.  Are you using an agency—or going directly to your county’s Child Protection Services?  Perhaps you might go directly to the county and see if the process is any different…

Best of luck!