One of the goals that prospective parents have is getting to meet the child they are considering adopting, a child who will become special to them. This makes all the time and lengthy procedure all worthwhile in the end. Once the adoption agency have informed the couple that they are to meet the child, this becomes their priority.

There could be an advantage to private adoption. Prospective parents may be able to meet the birth mother of their adoptive child, as the adoption process is usually more open. A relationship can then be formed between them so that trust can be built up. If the mother is still pregnant, they can share the pregnancy and some can even witness the birth of the child they are adopting. This is an extraordinary moment for any adoptive parents to witness as they can meet their baby as soon as it is born.

Their are opportunities for parents adopting internationally to meet their child, but usually their first visual sighting is of a photo. The photos are provided by the relevant adoption agency, and this is enough to stir up excitement and anticipation in the parents to be. The concept of meeting their child for the first time is once which is indescribeable and unique to each couple. Once all the relevant paperwork has been completed and passed through, the couple usually have to travel to the child’s home country to meet them initially. This is necessary so that they can see the child in their own native homeland and within their own culture. The parents to be can then experience and learn about the culture and customs of the child in their own country. This is also the ideal opportunity to meet the child they have seen and heard so much about for the first time. The child is also given a chance to meet their new parents, although the language barrier could pose a problem. Usually, an interpreter is provided for such an occasion. Meeting their child for the first time brings great joy for any parents to be, knowing that this is the child they can in the future take home to nurture and care for as their own. As the adoption process focusses on all the homework and the legal documents that need to be processed, the adoptive parents only have a photo of the child to motivate them. All the challenges and the hard work pays off at the end, when the parents to be finally get to meet and hold their adoptive child for the first time.

All sorts of emotions are unleashed when meeting your adoptive child at the first meeting. To most it has taken years of applications, being screened with home assessments, medical and any criminal backgrounds being checked out and watching your life savings deplete, so a flood of emotions are released. Any worries or stress that came in relation to the adoption process, are soon erased when meeting your adoptive child for the very first time. The very first meeting needs the adoptive parents to be understanding and most of all patient.



Thanks to Abhishek Agarwal for contributing this article to our Adoption blog:

Open Adoption Vs Closed Adoption

Can you answer maybebree’s question about Adoption?:

We know couples utilize several sites to find birth mothers of healthy children but are there resources for independant adoption of special kids?
We know our next child will be special needs, but we would like to pursue private adoption.
Does anyone know of any resources for private adoption that actively list couples specifically seeking to adopt a special needs baby or young child?
(Special needs sibling groups as well.)

Have you claimed your Genesis site?

Can you answer Richelle78’s question about Adoption?:

My husband and I are foster parents and we are planning on adopting through our foster care agency. However, we really want to adopt an infant as well. We know our chances are slim of getting a baby through foster care that we would eventually be able to adopt. So, here is what I don’t know. Are we able to work with more than one adoption agency, one for foster care to adoption and a seperate agency that would be for the infant adoption? We live in Pennsylvania, so if anyone is familiar with adoption regulations here, that would help.

Also, do you think that being foster parents would hurt our chances of being selected by a birth family to adopt thier newborn?

Family Adoption Services

There comes a time when a person decides they want to adopt a child. However, a person may be confused on where to look. Parents can try private adoption, which means searching on their own. However, the popular way is through an adoption agency. Adoption agencies are home to a wealth of information that one might not be able to get on their own. Just calling a random company is not going to work though. Research different companies, find one with a good reputation and one that works well its clients.

Adoption agencies can tell you how many children are available in certain areas and requirements for adopting children. The agencies also provide assistance in every aspect of adoption from filling out paperwork to finding the right child and finally getting to meet that special person.

1. Government Agencies: If you want to go through an adoption agency, there are a number of places to look. One of the first phone calls should be to a local or state government agency such as child welfare or social services. These government agencies should be able to provide you with a list of local adoption agencies as well as any information you might need. They might be able to send you a pamphlet or other material that could prove useful in your search for an adoption agency.

2. The Internet: The Internet is a valuable resource for finding adoption agencies. A quick search in any search engine will provide you with local and national directories of adoption agencies. It will also guide you to websites to find more information about the process. While on the Internet, check message boards and forums about adoption. There are online communities dedicated to adoption. You can post a message or contact parents through email about the adoption agency they used. This way you get opinions and insight on how adoption agencies handle their clients. You can find a wealth of information this way about local and adoptions in foreign countries.

3. Phone book: You can try cold calling adoption agencies straight out of the phone book. Check under the yellow pages for adoption or social services. This should lead you in the right direction. It may seem like a crude way of doing things, but before the Internet this was how things got done. Give the adoption agency a call and ask if you can talk to parents who have been through the process. They might set you up with people who understand your plight. The adoptive parents can give you inside information and explain how the adoption process works. They can tell you about the agency you are considering and any pitfalls to consider.

4. Community Groups / Churces: Another way to search for an adoption agency is to check with community groups or churches to see if there is a support group for adoptive parents. The group people will provide thoughtful and honest experiences. In the case of the parents given to you by the adoption agency, you will probably get someone who is 100 percent happy with the company. It is in the agency’s best interest to send you them. By finding the parents on your own, you will get candid accounts of what to expect during and after the process. These people could offer a ton of information and you may end up joining the group in the future.

There are so many ways to find an adoption agency. Just choose the one that is best for you. Don’t stop looking until you find the perfect one because this is a wonderful life decision.



Thanks to Abhishek Agarwal for contributing this article to our Adoption blog:

Adopting From Kazakhstan