Buyers remorse

This is the 1st time in this process that I am second guessing our decision about the agency we chose. Sure we have had a few administrative snafus along the way but everything seemed to be addressed fairly quickly. As I have said before, you run into these types of issues with most businesses you deal with.

What I am pissed about is the fact that I heard from someone I don't know, on a public message board that a pivotal member of the staff (an adoptive parent caseworker) left employment. It was nothing dramatic, the individual had personal issues and had to leave her job. My problem with the situation is the fact that we were never notified. She was not my case worker but I have a feeling it will have an effect on how things are managed.

Two weeks ago a woman I don't know called me "just to check in" and see how I am doing. The message she left on my home phone (not the primary phone # the agency has on file....that would be my cell which is with me at all times except in the bathroom) said that I could call if I had any questions. Well, I didn't know her and there was no sense of urgency in her message so I thought I would wait and catch up with my Caseworker after the holiday. Then, on Thanksgiving weekend, I heard about the staff reduction. I immediately posted on the agency message board and got a really snotty response from the owner about how the person left for personal reasons and that the agency had it under control and how they are probably overstaffed now because everyone was pitching in.

I've run businesses before and honestly, that is just bad management. You don't wait for the shit to hit the fan and then try to back pedal and make it seem like you have everything under control. The way to make your clients feel reassured and respected is to be proactive and tell people that you have a plan.

I called the agency today to check in and see what the hell is going on and I was told that the woman who called me won't be in until Thursday because she works part time and my Case Worker was with other clients and could not speak to me.  I very calmly told the poor girl who answered the phone that I was very disturbed about the fact that I was never notified about any staffing changes and that I feel like the reason our profile has not been shown yet (in 6 months!) is because of the staffing issues they are having. I told her I felt like we slipped through the cracks. She tried to assure me that wasn't the case and I was told to expect a call back tomorrow or Thursday. WTF?

H wants to call tomorrow and yell at them for the unprofessional treatment but I am afraid that will make them retaliate and never show our profile. I am just not sure what to do at this point. I'm feeling really blue and for the first time I'm starting to feel like we just won't ever be parents.