First interview with case worker

Posted by Bluedog (132 days ago)

What is discussed at this first interview? I just want to be better prepared!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

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Posted by emma dilemma (131 days ago)

I would also love to know anything about the first interview. Also are there any difficult things we will need to get for the application. We attend the briefing session in August and want to lodge as soon as possible after that. We qualified in Australia so hope to qualify in Hong Kong in a straight forward way.

Is there anyone who has recently adopted as an australian expat in Hong Kong from another country such as vietnam or cambodia. I am anxious as we are about to attend the briefing in August but we have a pretty tight 12 month deadline for the adoption to go through and it seems Hong Kong adoption time frames are blowing out. I only have 2 months flexibility on the end of the 12 months so that I can get the Australian visa process completed. So basically we need to be allocated a child before the 12 months. We are preparing everything we can in advance including criminal record checks, copies of documents etc. In anticipation of a rush start in August.

Any contact or guidance on intercountry v local adoption for expediation would be greatly appreciated.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Nadine1976 (130 days ago)

Hi Emma,

My husband and I have just finished our home study and are now just waiting for the results of the home study to finally be placed on the waiting list. I am not Australian so I can't really answer any of those citizenship questions.

The interviews are very straight forward and nothing to worry about. They just ask a little about your family background and you as a couple. It's really just to get to know you kind of info. After you attend the briefing session you will get the preliminary application in the mail. After you complete that prelim application, you will get the BIG application form...about 30 pages. This will include medical and all sorts of financial information you must provide. If you are doing a local adoption, you will not need a criminal record check other than in HK and the SWD has to provide you with the form to take to the police station. This comes much later and they will not take your prints without the SWD form. After the long application is processed...about six weeks...assuming nothing is missing that they require, than you will be assigned your social worker and start the interview/home study process. We attended our first briefing session (there are 3 sessions you must attend) on March 17th and are just now finished everything...we did everything as quickly as we could...no time wasting.
The other thing to consider is that Chinese couples have priority and then mixed couples and then Caucasian. Couples who are both working are lower on the priority list as well as couples who already have children. You can get boys more quickly than girls and if you are open to adopting an older child, it will take less time. The briefing session is very informative and they will go through all the steps with you however they will never give you a time frame. They just say they never know which children will come up for adoption based on the criteria you are willing to accept. The list of people waiting is not chronological in any way. There are matching panels every first and third Thursday of each month only so if you don’t get a call on those two days, the wait continues.
I would be happy to meet with you anytime, I read your other thread about meeting but I am heading home for summer holidays until late August. You can PM me after your briefing session and keep in touch.

Nadine

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by emma dilemma (130 days ago)

How do you stop yourself from becoming completely disheartened?? Everything seems so difficult. This is the case in Australia as waiting lists for adoption are now at about 3 to 5years and it takes 9 months to get your application approved. I used to be a consultant before moving into finance - and I swear, if I looked at the processes in government adoption departments I could axe about 60% of the time out. For starters - why cant they give me the application form at the briefing rather than it being sent out later. Why cant there be a list of orphanages that you can adopt from once you are approved in a Hague convention country. Aghhhh - I know I am whinging. I am just so frustrated. Patience is a virtue I know - but after waiting a year to start - it just seems like even then we cant get started.

Anyway - deep breath. I will PM you after the briefing and I have found out as much as I can regarding both local and international. Because my husband and I are not Chinese we are considering intercountry adoption as we know we will be at the bottom of the list. If all else fails we have a system called permanent placement back in Australia - which is a permanent foster care (until the child is 18) that we are going to chose.

Emma

(I am based in Hong Kong)