Adoption 101: How to Adopt a Child

When we decided to adopt a child, my husband and I did not have the first clue about what was involved in the adoption process. I looked through the yellow pages and found an adoption agency. From there, the agency guided us through the process to adopt a child.

While there may be some variations depending upon the state and the method of adoption you choose (agency versus adoption attorney, domestic versus international adoption, etc.), the basic process should look something like this:

1. Contact the agency, attorney, or facilitator.
2. Attend an adoption orientation.
3. Fill out an adoption application.
4. Complete a home study.
5. Match with an expecting mother (newborn adoption) or waiting child (international or foster adoption).
6. Meet the expecting mother or waiting child.
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7. Visit with the child (foster adoption and some international adoptions).
8. Take physical custody of the child.
9. Complete Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)requirements (for out-of-state adoptions).
10. Schedule one or more post-placement visits (social worker comes to your house and writes up a report about how your family is adjusting).
11. Petition the court to finalize the adoption.
12. Receive adoption decree (must be issued in a courthouse in some states; mailed to your home in others).
13. Obtain birth certificate and social security card for the child.

Some of these stages might vary state to state, but the overall general process will be the same for most adoptions.

I will discuss each of these stages over my next several posts. My goal in this series is to provide you with a basic overview so that you know what is coming as you move through the adoption process.

For a more detailed explanation about any of these stages, search the blogs on AdoptionBlogs.com or check out the information provided at adoption.com. Adoption.com provides detailed articles on every stage of the adoption process. I will be providing links at the bottom of each post to applicable blogs and articles throughout this series.

Related Topics:

• Step-by-Step Guidelines
• How do I start the adoption process?
• Adopting
• Where Do I Start?

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