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Post by socialworker on Apr 28, 2011 12:05:56 GMT 10
In the interests of transparency - I am here to hear the other side of what people don't tell us to improve my practice - but also to answer questions, queries etc.....I am also interested to hear from you all about what you think we could be doing better? What are some things that SW do that you don't understand? Or what are the some of the things that we don't focus on that you think we should......
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Post by goggly on Apr 28, 2011 15:27:56 GMT 10
It would be great if all SW provided a timeline of likely dates at the start. I am not talking hard and fast dates and times, but with our agency we got a letter after they had recieved our expression of interest to say that we would be X on the list to be interviewed, it was likely that these interviews would begin in X month and would take approximately X time to complete.
Of course this is all subject to change but at least it gives a general idea of how long things may take. It is really frustrating waiting to start as when nothing moves you run the risk of nagging too much or being forgotten all together for a few months by people who are there to assess you and you are yet to form a relationship with.
The other is the complete lack of transparency in the process. I still have only a tenuous grasp on how a matching is done for local adoption, I have no idea what happens with PC when you don't have the parents input!
It is more a larger system thing, but there is no way to see where anything is at. I see the statistics from adoptions and PC placements for 2010/2011 and going by that everyone in the pool should have been matched twice over. That's obviously not the case but I have no idea why!
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Post by socialworker on Apr 28, 2011 15:49:17 GMT 10
Timeframes - sorry but they can really be impossible to give! It is very hard to determine how long couples will sit on the waiting list before being assessed - and I know our agency doesn't mind people phoning up to ask how/where things are at. When I start an assessment, I tend to book out a whole bunch of assessment dates at the start so we all know that at least. At our agency you don;t get forgotten - we have your name on the list, and your paperwork.
Matching - for local adoption, we look at what the parents have/havent requested, what we know about the child (through getting to know the child, listening to the foster parents, other reports), and what we think may be future issues for the child based on what we know. We then look through all the approved couples to narrow it done to then present to the birth parents to choose (by way of a non-identifying profile). for Permanent care - it is much the same, but generally without any input from the birth family, although sometimes we know what they would like in a family. The birth families do not get to choose in permanent care - instead your profile and assessment report is presented to a panel by your allocated worker, and the panel then makes the final decision. Matching is never about which approved carers have been waiting the longest - it is always about what the child needs. Always. What are your suggestions for making this more transparent? We don't publicize about the children that we are trying to find families for so often approved carers don't know what is going in the background - is this what you are meaning by lack of transparency?
Statistics - only show part of the story, and only what has been legalized generally and it can take some time for this to happen. There are also foster care conversions which are included in the stats but is not removing people from the pool of waiting carers. There is also a lot of movement on the lists - from people coming off, people coming on, people going on hold. It is a very fluid list.
Do any of these answers help? Or have I confused things more?
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Post by goggly on Apr 28, 2011 16:07:33 GMT 10
No your answers are great - thanks.
The timeframes, well I do honestly believe that most SWs would be able to give a rough timeframe of when an asessement is likely to start. I say "rough" and "likely"! Generally what happens when you ring is that you will be told you are "X" on the list to be assessed, however this position is subject to change. It gets you no closer to knowing when things may kick off.
Our agency sends that letter and even though they were about a month or two out with their timeline I personally found that far preferable as at least then we could plan other stuff around the proposed dates. I know from these boards and other groups it is a real bugbear.
I queried the transparency in the other thread because the only way that most of us know what is happening with our file is to ring and ask or we get a call that we have been matched, most of the time we don't even know if we are being considered, which is again a good and bad thing.
I agree that the way that the match is made is good - needs of the child and all that and glad that it is not about the "next one" on the list.
I think most of us know there is a chance we will never get a placement despite being approved, so when the statistics of 220 placements (PC and LA) comes out, it is hard to know what to believe because it seems like so much has happened last year!
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Post by socialworker on Apr 28, 2011 16:28:30 GMT 10
No worries - I don't manage our waiting list - but I know our manager has no problems with people contacting the agency every few months just to check in/update us where things are at for them.
My 'approved couples' I have no problems with them contacting me to find out if there has been any interest in them etc - and always extend this option to them. Some couples want to know if they are being considered, and we will go along with this sometimes - depending on if they have been unsuccessful in the past and how this impacted on them, and also the timing of the interest. Most of my couples know that I will never phone them unless it it THE phone call and so I communicate solely by email (unless they phone me!).
As a side note - getting to make THE phone call is the best part of the job, and one that the whole team gets quite excited about!
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Post by goggly on Apr 28, 2011 16:36:08 GMT 10
social worker, I was amending for clarity as you were responding - sorry! (However I have been known to talk non-stop!)
Getting THE phone call is as amazing as making it!
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Post by lilchookie on Apr 28, 2011 17:58:04 GMT 10
THE CALL part is the amazing part.......even if your me and were unsure for a little bit if it was the call!! : )
I think you being here to answer questions will be really valuable for people new to the adoption world. Even though things seem to be different from agency to agency and state to state, there also seems to be lots that is similar.
As I have mentioned in a previous post to you, my husband and I have had a really positive experience. One thing that has made it really positive was that when we would have our interviews, the next one was arranged straight away. No at the end of the interview "we'll call you soon to arrange a time" type of situation like some people who post on here have had. Knowing that things were moving forward and the next part is planned was so important.
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Post by shudie on May 8, 2011 17:56:32 GMT 10
Hi Social Worker,
Thanks for your transparency. I do need to share with you that your reason for being here, ' to hear the other side.... to improve your practice' - I would have liked to have been asked if this was OK with us first. I feel a bit like the client that is being used by the therapist to better herself.. Also, we are in a vulnerable position and you are in a position of power i.e the scary social worker that will determine our future - that doesn't sit easy with me!
I'm aware others may feel differently but it is important for me that I share that.
x Shudie
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Post by beachdreams on May 10, 2011 21:28:40 GMT 10
I know there are other professionals in the field who view this and other forums. Thanks for being up front and acknowledging your position.
I am not sure that the SW'ers fully understand the powerlessness and vulnerability that A&PC applicants feel. Applicants feel like SW'ers are entirely and solely 'the deciders' in determining whether or not the applicants vision and dreams for their parenting future will come true. There are massive power issues, relational issues and trust issues that come with that type of loaded relationship. The two or three months between phone calls to the agency .... behind the scenes, there is daily conversations, anxiety, self-doubt, swinging emotions of confidence and total self doubt, relationship change, reluctance to 'plan' any major changes or life decisions such as travel or moving house or study / employment changes.
I have never, ever in my life not been able to 'make' my dreams happen. So now, it is gut wrenching / destabalising / identity-challenging for my dreams to sit in someone's filing cabinet.
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Post by waiting on May 10, 2011 22:00:00 GMT 10
My goodness beachdreams, you have really explained quite carefully and thoughtfully how I was feeling. I could not have put it better myself. Thanks.
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