How to Adopt a Child
Consider adopting from a domestic agency., Decide whether to pursue independent adoption., Look into adopting a child from the foster care system., Research your options for international adoption.Adopting a child from another country is a popular...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider adopting from a domestic agency.
Domestic adoption agencies in the United States work with birth mothers to find adoptive parents.
Prospective adoptive parents submit details about themselves to the agencies, who then pass the information to the birth mothers.
If a birth mother is interested, the agency facilitates the adoption process.
When it comes to adopting from a domestic agency, open adoptions are the most popular route.
This means that prospective parents meet and form a relationship with the birth mother (and sometimes the birth father), and often keep in touch after the baby is born.
Many families feel that this open process takes the mystery out of adoption and makes it feel more natural for all parties involved.
Some agencies still conduct closed adoptions.
In this type of adoption, the adoptive parents have no contact with the birth mother, and the baby has no contact with the birth mother after he or she is born.
Because closed adoptions are less popular than they used to be, it can be difficult to find an agency and birth mother willing to facilitate one. -
Step 2: Decide whether to pursue independent adoption.
Some people prefer to work with an independent lawyer to adopt a child, rather than going through an agency.
Prospective parents may alert people they know that they are hoping to adopt a child, or they may ask the lawyer to conduct a search for a birth mother.
Either way, the lawyer ensures that the adoption is conducted legally.
Adopting independently can give the adoptive parents greater control over the search process, rather than leaving it up to the agency to facilitate a match.
The process of adopting independently is often faster than going through an agency.
The downside of adopting independently is that it is common for birth mothers to change their minds late in the process.
Agencies have a process in place to eliminate this as a risk factor; if you're working independently, make sure your lawyer is highly experienced with adoptions to minimize the chance that this will happen.
Conducting your own search for a birth mother is not legal in every state.
Make sure finding your own birth mother is legal where you live before pursuing this as an option., Adopting a child who has been placed in foster care, sometimes referred to as a "waiting child," is another good option to consider.
State agencies list the children available for adoption in online databases that usually include photographs and profiles.
You can pursue this type of adoption by finding an agency in your area and contacting them for more information.
Children in foster care are usually over one year old, and some are in their teens.
Many have been waiting a long time for loving parents to bring them into their home.
Some children in foster care have disabilities, illnesses or other special needs that have caused them to have to wait longer to be adopted.
In some cases children were placed in foster care with their siblings, and they wish to be adopted together.
This is something to consider if you're open to adopting more than one child. , To pursue this route, work with a US Agency that has ties with international agencies and can facilitate the process for you.
International adoption can be a longer process than domestic adoption, since you have to meet the requirements of two countries instead of one.
Conduct research on the adoption policies of different countries to find the one that makes sense for your family.
International adoptions may be closed or open, depending on the country.
Make sure you're aware of the birth mother's expectations and ties you'll have to the country after the adoption is complete. -
Step 3: Look into adopting a child from the foster care system.
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Step 4: Research your options for international adoption.Adopting a child from another country is a popular option among citizens of the United States.
Detailed Guide
Domestic adoption agencies in the United States work with birth mothers to find adoptive parents.
Prospective adoptive parents submit details about themselves to the agencies, who then pass the information to the birth mothers.
If a birth mother is interested, the agency facilitates the adoption process.
When it comes to adopting from a domestic agency, open adoptions are the most popular route.
This means that prospective parents meet and form a relationship with the birth mother (and sometimes the birth father), and often keep in touch after the baby is born.
Many families feel that this open process takes the mystery out of adoption and makes it feel more natural for all parties involved.
Some agencies still conduct closed adoptions.
In this type of adoption, the adoptive parents have no contact with the birth mother, and the baby has no contact with the birth mother after he or she is born.
Because closed adoptions are less popular than they used to be, it can be difficult to find an agency and birth mother willing to facilitate one.
Some people prefer to work with an independent lawyer to adopt a child, rather than going through an agency.
Prospective parents may alert people they know that they are hoping to adopt a child, or they may ask the lawyer to conduct a search for a birth mother.
Either way, the lawyer ensures that the adoption is conducted legally.
Adopting independently can give the adoptive parents greater control over the search process, rather than leaving it up to the agency to facilitate a match.
The process of adopting independently is often faster than going through an agency.
The downside of adopting independently is that it is common for birth mothers to change their minds late in the process.
Agencies have a process in place to eliminate this as a risk factor; if you're working independently, make sure your lawyer is highly experienced with adoptions to minimize the chance that this will happen.
Conducting your own search for a birth mother is not legal in every state.
Make sure finding your own birth mother is legal where you live before pursuing this as an option., Adopting a child who has been placed in foster care, sometimes referred to as a "waiting child," is another good option to consider.
State agencies list the children available for adoption in online databases that usually include photographs and profiles.
You can pursue this type of adoption by finding an agency in your area and contacting them for more information.
Children in foster care are usually over one year old, and some are in their teens.
Many have been waiting a long time for loving parents to bring them into their home.
Some children in foster care have disabilities, illnesses or other special needs that have caused them to have to wait longer to be adopted.
In some cases children were placed in foster care with their siblings, and they wish to be adopted together.
This is something to consider if you're open to adopting more than one child. , To pursue this route, work with a US Agency that has ties with international agencies and can facilitate the process for you.
International adoption can be a longer process than domestic adoption, since you have to meet the requirements of two countries instead of one.
Conduct research on the adoption policies of different countries to find the one that makes sense for your family.
International adoptions may be closed or open, depending on the country.
Make sure you're aware of the birth mother's expectations and ties you'll have to the country after the adoption is complete.
About the Author
Janet Sanchez
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