What To Know When Considering Adoption…

…Is Adoption Right for You?
Whether you are interested in placing a baby for adoption or in adopting a baby, it is important to know adoption is permanent. It is a decision that requires ample thought and consideration by the birthmother for herchild. Adoptive parents, too, need to devote plenty of thought to their decision to adopt as they are endeavoring on a journey that will ask of then understanding, support and education.

…Who Can Adopt?
Individuals who may be married, single, childless or already parenting other children can adopt. Most agencies have a review process when looking at applications from those wishing to adopt and will try to accept individuals from diverse backgrounds. This is most important to consider especially for private adoption agencies who work with birthmothers who choose the adoptive family with whom she wishes to place her child. You are not required to own your own home or to have high income in order to give children what they need. Children simply need permanence, stability, a lifetime commitment, and a chance to be part of a family.

…Making an Adoption Plan
The most important step as adopting parents is to establish your general attitudes and philosophies about adoption. It is important to develop this foundation on which you will build your adoption experience and the framework of how you will react to birthparents and others that you will encounter in your journey through the adoption process.

~ Determine what adoption program you would like to pursue (i.e. what type of child you would like to adopt, Caucasian, Biracial, African American, a child of international descent, etc.)

~ Choose the type of adoption route that best suits your needs (private agency, attorney, county agency, etc.)

~ Prepare yourself emotionally and mentally for the most adventurous journey of your life.

~ Establish how much openness you wish to have with birthparents as well as how much post-placement communication you desire.

~ Educate yourself about post-adoption issues. This will enable you to handle the various issues that surround your child's adoption.

…Selecting an Adoption Professional
1. Get referrals from former clients and other adoption professionals.
2. Ask for literature.
3. Compile a list of the adoption professionals that appear to meet your basic requirements, (type of adoption, location, cost, etc.).
4. What are the adoptive parent requirements of this professional concerning marital status, age, income, health, etc?
5. How long on average do adoptive parents wait to adopt?
6. What adoption services are available?
7. How does the adoption professional receive medical information on the children?
8. What is their policy in dealing with birthfathers?
9. How many adoptions has the adoption professional had that have been overturned?

…Open Adoption
Open adoption means that birthparents and adoptive parents have some knowledge about one another. The birthparents know something about adoptive parents and often choose the adoptive parents for their child by reviewing "autobiographies" of adoptive parents. Adoptive parents and their children know medical and genetic information about the birth family and personal information. This information concerning the situation of the birth parents and their reasons for making an adoption plan for their baby will be helpful in explaining the adoption to the adopted child. A completely "open" adoption would mean that all parties would know last names and maybe even addresses and phone numbers.

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