The Levels of Care Conundrum

Read through the post Levels of Care: An Unsolvable Conundrum and help provide insight to a way that this issue can be addressed so that children are not penalized, representation of children is more accurate, and recruitment is not as difficult.

Question from a Parent to Parents and Professionals

my adopted daughter was my foster child for many years. she seemed "normal" in her early years but has developed into a real handful as a teen. diagnosed bipolar, ODD, ADHD and suffers from obesity R/O bipolar. I am even today collecting information on the bipolar disorder. I am seeking a support group that can assist me in giving her the best care and future available while keeping my sanity.

The ICPC Process

In what ways can the ICPC process be improved? Share any good or bad experiences if you wish.

Future for Children with FASD

What happens to children with FASD when they become adults? If they are unable to learn from consequences and apply knowledge to future behaviour, how will they function in society? What can be done to help them?

Agency Data

Should data from agencies (number of families homestudied, number of placements, number of finalizations, etc.) be collected annually on a state level and made available to all prospective adoptive families to assist them in selecting an adoption agency?

Why or why not?

Michael Yates joins the Think Tank

Michael Yates, M.Div., is the Project Manager of Tennessee Adoption Support and Preservation (ASAP), a post adoption program designed to support adoptive families struggling with the unique needs of their children (www.tnasap.org). Michael has many years of experience in child welfare including two years of residential services at Vanderbilt Child and Adolescent Hospital, 12 years of therapeutic foster care and adoption, and two years with ASAP.

Question from a Prospective Parent

I have a question about foster/adoption and not sure if you can help or not.

My husband and I have been considering adopting from foster care. We have 4 children currently, 12,10,4 and 1 year old. (The older two are from our previous marriages)

My husband is hesitant about the cost and time more children would require. We would consider a boy or sibling group of two between the ages of 5-10 and race isn't an issue. The problem is we have heard a lot of negative stories about the children having severe problems and even the SW I spoke to again yesterday thinks we may want to wait until our younger two are a little older. I have a teaching degree in special ed. and am currently a stay at home mom so I feel the time now is right while I am at home. It is something I feel that we were meant to do and the path God has for us. The problem is I am not sure if it is realistic. I am aware that the children will have special needs from what they have been through. There are so many kids in need of loving homes, yet it seems that people are so negative about it, including the SW. Are there positive stories out there? Are there people willing to really help instead of trying to scare us away. I feel like it is the thing to do yet can't find much support. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks, Barb in Iowa

Why Doesn't White Adopt Black?

Check out this article.

Why Doesn't White Adopt Black?.

Do you agree with the conclusions of this author?