Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Adoption: Adoption Assistance helpful hints



As foster care for these three children is coming to a close and the adoption is about to be final I got the call to do the adoption assistance.  I am not a pro at this by any means and now that this is my second adoption I still feel very nervous when coming up with numbers.  I still have so much to learn.

Who ever sits behind the desk at DHS and does this adoption assistance -- they have them there for a reason.  Adoption Assistance is a negotiated amount and you need to agree on the numbers that you are coming up with.  The lady who works for DHS out of Salem has been there for quiet sometime.  I remember her when we were going through our first adoption 1 1/2 years ago.  She knows what she is doing which can be very intimidating and she is very good at it.

I have two children that had a cans assessment of 1 so that is an extra 212.00 each.  However one of them expired a week before the worker called me.  I think that was what they wanted to happen and that is why it took awhile for me to hear from them.  If you look at it from their end there are thousands of children they need to supply money for each month so any way they can cut a corner they are going to do it.  So I am not resentful at all but just thankful for our ending numbers.

Here are the things that you can calculate in: These are estimate figures--
Clothes/Shoes ------     $85.00 (5 &6 year old)                        $100.00 (14 year old)
Food                            $100.00                                               $200.00 (diabetic)
Hair appointments       $12.00                                                 $12.00
Toiletries (essentials)   $45.00                                                 $60.00
Utilities                       $60.00                                                 $60.00
Dance classes              $50.00                                                 $75.00
School Supplies           $50.00                                                 $75.00
Summer camps            $150.00                                               $150.00
Piano Lessons             $75.00                                                 $75.00


They are very positive when it comes to activities.  Even if the kids are not enrolled at the time but you plan on enrolling them -- make sure you write it down.  These are just some of the things they will consider.  If you vacation a lot make sure you write that down or if you snowmobile they will need special clothing for this.  You cannot get more than what they were getting in foster care however you can come close.  If you are in Oregon they try to aim for 1/2 or a little more of what you were getting.  If you don't say the right words that they are looking for they are not going to give you what you ask and they will talk you down.  Between the three we lost about $500.00.  For that I am thankful it was not more!


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