First Post Placement

Whew!!! we made it through the mad dash of our first post placement report. The report itself was really no big deal. Especially, since we love to talk about our kids and how wonderful adoption has been for our family. The craziness comes with the time constraints of we couldn't meet with the social worker until after Nov. 1st(a Sat.) yet we have to have it to our agency notarized and apostilled (in Austin) by Nov. 15th(also a Sat. so really the 14th). Long story short-two carefully orchestrated FedEx envelopes, a really quick and wonderful social worker, and lots of prayers made all of this happen on time (hopefully, as the first leg of the race has gone well so far).

The main purpose in post placement reports is to smooth relationships with Russia and the U.S. Agencies that place children in families from Russia. Pictures are sent to ensure that the children are doing well. I am glad to help, but now on the other side of adoption I really do think that 3yrs of post placement reports is excessive for adoptive families to produce (one year should be sufficient). Especially, when each report costs upwards of $300. This is after a family who adopts 1-2 children has already spent upwards of $40,000-60, 000 to adopt to begin with. Would I spend this much all over again for my children? YOU bet I would, but should governments have this much jurisdiction over the affairs of adoptive families...Constitutionally speaking...no. If the government didn't it would take a fraction of the time and cost to adopt.

Unfortunately, the costs are only likely to go up with the implementation of the Homeland Security Agency and new Hague laws that go in effect as of this year. While in the news you hear of the great things that Hague is going to prevent what is not being reported is how the increase in government agencies involvement and forced compliance with new regulations will result in greater cost to the individual adoptive families (both time and money), fewer overall adoptions as a result and the complete shut down of some of the most poor countries in the world who have the greatest need for adoption. How the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption Might Affect You

Government was to protect the innocent...children who are legitimately in harmful, abusive situations should be removed from their family, but not by means of our current system where the government is unchecked-Children Removed from LDS Compound in Texas. But once children are out of immediate physical danger, job over for the government and it is time for the church to step in and find a loving stable home. Elaborate foster care systems, social workers-namely CPS do not hold a biblical world view of adoption or family for that matter, although many of these individuals are well meaning and even Christians, they are still agents of the state acting in behalf of what is best for the state not individuals. The bureaucracy that exists is unbelievable and many of the CPS agents who are trying to look out for the best interest of the individual child have their hands tied by too many cases, too many hoops to jump through and dealing with an ever increasing amount of responsibility as new regulations are constantly added which translates into more training and licensing for them.

Okay, I feel better now with that said, we are now cleared by the state for another 6 months until we must go through all of this again. I do have to say that we have one of those rare CPS social workers who really does have the best interest of the family and child as priority and delights to see children placed in loving biblical Christian homes. She has been a true blessing to us as we have navigated the waters of the state through our adoption. We praise the Lord for bringing her to us and granting us favor throughout our process of dealing with the unavoidable government intrusion in the adoption process.