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Adoption, the Steps InvolvedBy Charlene Dawson Adopting a child is a rewarding decision, whether you choose to adopt to expand your family or to provide a loving home to a needy child. However, deciding to adopt is just the first step in the process. There are several more decisions, steps, and paperwork that must be completed before adoption can be finalized and your family complete. First, you have the choice of using a public or private adoption agency. There are several differences between the two methods of adopting. Decide if you desire to adopt domestically or internationally, and if there are other characteristics you may want in a child, such as a specific gender, age, or race. Public Adoption Agency A public adoption agency generally deals with adoption from foster care and social services. Typically, the children in foster care are older than toddlers, meaning you may not have the option to take home an infant. However, you can usually choose the age and race of the child. There are thousands of children waiting in foster care who are frequently moved around and need a permanent home. The advantage of public agencies is that they are less expensive than private adoption agencies because the fees are paid for by the county or state. Private Adoption Agency A private agency can assist you with a domestic or international adoption. Private agencies are perhaps the right choice if you would like to adopt a domestic newborn. They can pair you with birthparents that are pregnant, and guide you through the adoption process until after the birth of the baby when your parental rights are established. Private agencies also have the advantage of offering counseling to everyone involved in the adoption process. This can help birthparents better deal with their adoption choice, and help all parties to be emotionally and mentally prepared for the process ahead. Oftentimes, counseling helps birthparents to continue with their initial decision to give the child to the adoptive parents, which they have the right to change up to 48 hours after the birth of the baby, a situation which is devastating to attached adoptive parents. Private adoption agencies can also assist the birthmother with prenatal care, maternity clothes, housing, and legal assistance, which can be paid for by the adoptive parents. However, private agencies tend to be more expensive than public adoptions and can be selective when choosing adoptive parents. Researching and Choosing the Adoption Agency Once you decide what type of agency fits you best, you can request information from several agencies in your area. Attend several agencies' orientations. These orientations will explain their adoption steps and fees, allow you to ask questions, and allow you to talk with others involved in the process, such as birthmothers, parents who have adopted, and other couples considering adoption. Get as much out of these sessions as possible so you can compare each orientation and choose the agency you feel most comfortable with. Next, choose the agency that you would like to work with. After choosing the agency, you can fill out their application, and return it with the registration fee. The agency will review and accept or reject your application for adoption. The Home Study After the agency has reviewed and accepted your application for adoption. If you are accepted, you must complete a home study. The main purpose of the home study is to evaluate your home environment to ensure that it is suitable for a child and that the child will be properly cared for. Also, the home study aims to help you as adoptive parents to prepare for the arrival of the child and learn how to parent. Your agency will advise you of their preferred method for the home study (as there are several ways to complete the state requirement). The study will include at least one visit with a social worker in your home, and possibly some educational parenting classes with other adoptive families. Finally, you will be required to have a physical exam, a fingerprint inking, and a background check. Home study takes on average two months to complete. The Next Step Finally, the only step left is to wait. Your waiting period depends on many factors. Adoptive parents and birthmothers or children are carefully matched based on their needs and desires, such as if they desire an open, semi-open, or closed adoption. Adopting a child of another race besides Caucasian may significantly reduce your waiting time. A Caucasian newborn adoption usually takes one to five years. An international adoption may take up to a year or more, depending on the foreign country's adoptive policies. Finalization of Adoption After receiving the child, the parental rights of the birthparents will be terminated. After the child has been in your home for six months, the social worker must submit a recommendation for approval, and a judge finalizes the adoption by identifying you as the official adoptive parents of the child, giving you all legal rights and responsibilities to your child. Adoptive Parents, Adoption Center keywords: adoption | adoption center | adoptive parents | adoption agency
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