From Adoption 101: How to Adopt a Child:
3. Fill out an adoption application.
Filling out the adoption application can be a daunting task. Our application process involved two sets of paperwork. The first set alone was 14 pages. On one of those 14 pages, we were asked to make 46 decisions about which health risks we would consider in an adopted child and in the child’s birthfamily. The application process is involved, to say the least.
Here is an overview of the information that we provided as part of the application process:
Parent Data
- Adopted child profile (gender, race, health risks)
- Children
- Church membership
- Education
- Hobbies/interests
- Marriage date
- Occupation
- Physical characteristics (height, weight, hair color, etc.)
- Travel history
- Level of desired openness with birthparents
Financial Questionnaire
- Annual income
- Assets
- Bankruptcy/IRS issues
- Child support
- Employer
- How will we pay for the adoption?
- Interest/dividends
- Length of employment
- Liabilities
- Loans
- Monthly budget
- Occupation
Personal Background Inventory
- Arrests
- Childhood abuse
- Illnesses
- Substance abuse
- Therapy
How is that for thorough? And that was just Phase I.
Here is the information we provided for Phase II of our adoption application:
References
- Friend
- Leader in church (pastor, elder, etc.)
- Relative
- Work associate or neighbor
- Zone or region leader (could be associate pastor)
Environmental Requirements (to be verified during home visit)
- Adequate lighting and ventilation
- City water verification or testing for well water
- Clean and safe house
- Electricity and heat
- Hot and cold running water
- Smoke detectors
- Sufficient furniture for child
Medical History (for each hopeful adoptive parent)
- Age and health status (or date and cause of death) for father, mother, siblings, and children
- Authorization to release medical records from primary care provider
- Checklist for various health issues for relatives
- Individual health history
Criminal Records Check
- Instructions for being professionally fingerprinted at police station
- Two fingerprint cards
Medical Exam Form (to be completed by primary care physician)
- Blood pressure
- Cause of childlessness
- Checklist of various medical issues (heart and lungs, stomach and abdomen, etc.)
- Height & weight
- Pulse
It took us a couple of months to work through all of the application’s requirements. I could not fathom what would be left to talk about in the home study.
Some agencies also require you to write an autobiography or to answer a series of personal questions, such as –
- What is your favorite childhood memory?
- How do you feel about birthmothers?
Be sure to make copies of the application before you mail it in. If it is lost or damaged in the mail, you sure don’t want to have to fill it out twice!
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