If you were to ask me on August 6th if I ever thought about Fostering or Adoption, I would have said NO, not me. Not because I don’t love kids but come on, who wants an old lady as a mother if you’re a young kid? ( I found out the answer on August 8th, 2017). I got a phone call from my brother telling me I am an aunt again and it is a girl. I asked her name, and they didn’t have one. We talked a few moments and then hung up. I was a little shocked as my brother is in his 50’s. I was happy for him, though.
The next day I got another phone call from my brother asking me if I could take Jane? I immediately said “YES”! Then asked why? He informed me I didn’t want to know. He told me a social worker would be calling me.
I didn’t wait to hear from them. I went right down to our County Social Services Office and asked for the papers to be a foster parent and told them that my niece was being placed and I wanted to get custody of her. They gave me all the documents, and I filled them out in the car. I ran them back in, and they told me about the date for the next Orientation and that I needed to go to that. I agreed and left feeling confident.
By the time I had gotten home, I was starting to question whether I really should do this. What if my past prevents me from being able to? What if I am too old? All these doubts started to flood my thoughts. I remembered my stepmom was friends with an older lady, and I think around 70, a foster mother to teenagers. If she could take care of teenagers, I certainly could care for a baby.
I went to the Orientation. It was very informative. They mentioned fingerprinting, and the doubts came back. Was my past going to prevent me from being able to get custody of Jane? I asked about pasts. I explained mine, and they said that they didn’t think my being a recovering alcoholic would stop it. Someone had asked about a family member who was arrested for felony theft, was told that it depends on the type of crime, but many things are worked out, and with explanations and other forms they may have to fill out, they could still be foster parents.
I was going into the Kinship Program, which is for relatives or good friends that can take the children. The processes are the same, but the name and program are different.
They also went over exactly what the programs were. There was a time when there were so many kids in Foster Care and not enough adoptive parents. Foster Parents of these children wanted to adopt them, but because of the cost and other factors, they were often not eligible to Adopt. The State recognized this and implemented the Fost/Adopt process. In California (I believe other States do the same thing), when you apply and are approved for Foster Care, you are also applying and approving for the Adoption process. So, now when you apply and are approved for Foster Care, you are also approved to Adopt. This has helped get the children in the much-needed forever home.
I knew when I started the adoption process that I was going to be adopting Jane.
I drove up to Redding, which is where I was drinking and living on the streets. I went to the court offices and told the lady behind the desk that I thought I might have a warrant for my arrest. She asked my name and date of birth. She started typing, and she looked at me strangely and typed again. After a few minutes of this, she looked up at me and asked, “who told you, you have warrants for your arrest” I proceeded to tell her, and she said, well, there is nothing that is showing up on my screen. You should go down the hall and go to the Sheriff’s Office and see what they have. So, I trekked on down the hall, very confused. The Sherriff asked me the same question, “who told you, you have warrants”?
I ended back at the first office and called my eligibility worker, and she asked me to get proof. I got proof that I had no Warrants and headed back home. I was elated but, so confused. Why would the eligibility worker have read it wrong? Why did she think I had warrants? I don’t think I will ever know.
I will leave it here for now but will continue next Thursday’s Thoughts. See you then.