Adoption

Adoption refers to the permanent transfer of legal rights and responsibilities for a minor from one person or group of people to another.Child Welfare Information Gateway: Adoption Overview

Public Adoption (Foster Care or Foster to Adopt)

Private Agency Adoption

Independent Adoption

International Adoption

Single Parent Adoption

Same Sex Couples Adoption

Step-Parent Adoption

Relative Adoption

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While there are many different types of adoptions, the process involved is relatively the same. Keep in mind, that one agency may require additional classes than another, but state regulations must always be met.

Process Involved:

• Adoptive parents are required to attend an orientation class.

• Adoptive parents are required to complete full medical reports and criminal background checks.

• Adoptive parents are required to complete social and family histories.

• Adoptive parents must attend an adoption class that is intended to prepare them to care for an adoptive child.

• Adoptive parents must provide references.

• Adoptive parents will be appointed a social worker who will complete a homestudy.

• Once all of the above requirements are fulfilled and approved an adoptive family is then entitled to have a child placed in their home.

The time frame will vary depending upon the availability of children who need homes that the adoptive family is willing to accept.

After a placement is made a probationary period begins. The social worker who has been appointed to the family will make routine follow-up visits during this time.

The social worker is required to file a study or report to the organization that the child is being adopted from, usually the state.

Finally, a court will enter an adoption decree making the process complete.

Public adoptions are adoptions that are arranged through an agency, ministry or other organization that is funded by the public. Usually, the term refers to the foster care or to the foster to adopt program through social services.

In nearly all cases, public adoptions are handled by the state in which both the child and adoptive parents live.

Advantages of Public Adoptions:

• There are almost never any costs incurred by the adoptive parents. The state pays for all the legal fees involved. This includes the homestudy, training, attorney fees and court costs.

• The likelihood of a complication that could lead to a contested adoption is much less likely to occur in a public adoption. The legal rights and responsibilities of the birthparent of parents of children within the state’s foster care system have been terminated; freeing them to be adopted.

• Depending upon the preferences that an adopting family has, the wait to have a child placed within the home may be relatively short. If a family is accepting of disabilities, special needs, an older child, siblings or a child of a different race, the placement could be nearly immediately after all training and certifications are complete.

Disadvantages of Public Adoptions:

• Agencies that perform public adoptions have the majority of control over the entire adoption.

• As an adoptive parent, you have fewer choices with public adoptions. This is because the needs of the children are put before the wants, desires or preferences of adoptive families.

• Adopting a newborn through public adoptions is very difficult. Public adoptions most usually deal with children who have been taken from abusive or neglectful homes and placed with another family for their safety and well-being.

Because of this, agencies who deal with public adoptions do not make the needs of the biological parents a priority.

Private agencies are more concerned with the needs of a birthmother and if available, a birthfather.

Very few birthmothers place their newborn for adoption through public adoptions.

The wait for a newborn without severe medical issues is rather extensive and is likely to take many years before a healthy infant would be placed with an adoptive family through a public adoption.

Things to keep in mind:

• Remember when considering public adoption that you will most likely be bringing a child into your home with serious medical, emotional and psychological problems.

These children have often suffered abuse for many years and the impact of that abuse may result in lifelong issues for the child.

While it is easy for emotion to cloud judgment, make certain you are fully aware of the situation in which you are involving yourself, your family and the potential adopted child.

• If you already have children in your home or family members with children (especially young children) frequently visit, use extra caution in considering children who have shown or have been determined to likely show violence, sexual abuse or other harmful behavior that another child would be unable to protect themselves from.

• Keep pets in mind when adopting a child who has been known to be abusive to animals.

• If cost alone discourages you from adopting or fostering an older child or a child with special needs through public adoption, consider the possibility of a stipend before ruling out adopting or fostering a child in need.

Where to start:

If you would like more information about public adoption, please contact your local protective child service office in your county.

An organization that is licensed through their state to allow them the right to complete adoptions, prepare homestudies and post-placement reports, supervise the finalization of an adoption and complete an adoption finalization is known as a private adoption agency.

There are many types of adoptions that a private agency may be involved in; however, the two main types are infant adoptions and international adoptions. Some agencies specialize in one specific type of adoption. For instance, an agency may only perform international adoptions.

The Advantages of a Private Agency Adoption:

• A private adoption agency screens the birthmother as well as the birthfather; if he is available. This helps to provide the perspective adoptive family with information on the biological family’s general history, physical medical history and mental health history.

• Private adoption agencies understand the complicated legal aspect of adoption and are able to take the steps needed to complete a successful adoption.

• An agency will do all the needed research and development that is needed for the adoption process to be completed.

• Counseling will be provided to the birthmother and birthfather; if available as well as the adoptive parents. This counseling helps the birthparents understand adoption, their options and allows for a solid decision to be made. It also enables adoptive parents to fully understand all sides of adoption.

• Potential legal complications are less of a concern with agency adoptions.

• The protection of privacy is a priority with private agency adoptions.

• Some agencies do allow closed adoptions; however, most recommend open adoptions for the psychological welfare of all involved.

• Newborn and infant children are more likely to be available through private agency adoptions than most other types of adoptions.

• Open adoptions are more common through private agencies.

Disadvantages of Private Agency Adoptions:

• Agencies pre-screen all adoptive families and while some are not, the agency had the full right to be extremely selective regarding the adoptive family’s age, marital status, health, religion, income, family size, personal history and residency requirements.

• Since the birth mother will most likely be choosing the family that she wishes to place her child with, she may be very selective.

• The potential wait time is likely to be lengthy due to the amount of adoptive families who are also waiting to adopt.

• Until final consent is given in the adoption, the child may be placed in a temporary foster home rather than with the adoptive family.

• Although it is not extremely common, adoptions do sometimes fall through for various reasons. If this happens, the adoptive family will not only be left to deal with the emotional side of the loss, but a substantial amount of money is likely to be lost as well.

• Finding a reputable agency that an adoptive family feels confident in and comfortable with is sometimes time consuming.

Things to Consider:

• When deciding on an agency, it’s crucial that the private agency you choose is reputable. The state Licensing Specialist that is located in the area can give you a report on the agency that will tell you if the agency is in good standing or if complaints have been filed. You will also want to check with the state’s Attorney General’s office to find out what or if any legal actions have been filed against the agency. Contacting the Better Business Bureau to check for complaints against an agency is recommended; this can also be done by finding the agency on the Better Business Bureau’s web site.

• Ask the agency for a minimum of five references that are from clients who have completed their adoptions through the perspective agency at least three years ago. Questions to ask the references are: What is your overall opinion of this agency? Was the agency helpful and supportive of all parties before, during and after the adoption? Would you use the agency again? Do you recommend this agency?

• As with any adoption, nothing is guaranteed. Birthmothers may change their minds and decide to parent, legal obstacles may present themselves, etc. Adoptive parents should never go into an adoption with the delusion that nothing can go wrong.

Where to Start:

• Begin searching your local Yellow Pages for adoption agencies in your area.

• Speak to other families in your area who have grown their family through adoption. If their experience was positive, contact the agency that they used to complete their adoption.

• Although they are not directly involved, social services will have the names and numbers of adoption agencies in your area.

• Adoption attorneys who are local will have a list of reputable agencies. (Still remember to check each individual agency before utilizing their services to ensure that they are reputable.)

• Online adoption resources are plentiful. By doing a general Google search that includes your area or state and the world adoption, a list of many agencies should be generated.

• A Child Chosen: Guatemala Adoptions Halted? (May 6, 2008)