I Want to Adopt a Child. Now What?

So, you have decided that you want to adopt a child. Congratulations on this wonderful decision. Whether you decide to adopt internationally or domestically, there are a few things you need to know as you begin the process. The first two things you will need to decide is: What country? and What agency? These two questions go hand in hand. As you research agencies you can research the countries at the same time. Most agencies have the parent requirements for each country, general child information, and approximate time of referral for adoption on their website. In researching the agencies you want to find out everything you can about them. Get references from others who have used their services. A reputable agency will have no problem giving you references. You can also find references on your own. There are several online adoption forums that have agency sections where people post about their experiences. I cannot stress enough how important it is to research your agency of choice. There are some out there that do not have your best interests in mind. Research, research, research!

Meet other adoptive parents and learn about their experiences. This will give you a good idea of what to expect along the road of adoption. There are adoptive parent support groups, and some agencies themselves will hold classes as well. Through these classes you can meet more people who have adopted both domestically and internationally.

Next, you will want to map out a plan for the cost of the adoption. Most agencies will have their fees posted on their website, but you will want to call them or send  an e-mail just to make sure that they are the most updated fees and information. As a safe rule of thumb add about $10,000 to the total estimated cost. Expenses such as travel fares may vary from the initial fee inquiry to the actual time of adoption. The adoption process is ever changing, and you can never be too prepared. There are several grants that you can apply for to help fund your adoption. To be eligible for most grants you have to have already finished your homestudy or be in the process of getting one done.

The homestudy has a way of striking fear in people. You will feel the need to clean every corner of your house and make sure that there is not a speck of dust to be found. During the homestudy, the social worker's main duty is to make sure that your home is appropriate for a child.They will evaluate you and your spouse(if applicable) as parents, and will ask you several questions about yourself, your history, and why you want to adopt.  You will also need to start gathering various documents such as birth certificates, tax returns, referrals, etc. The social worker will also help you to better understand the adoption process.Contrary to popular belief, they are not there to measure your dust to bookshelf ratio.

The homestudy will lead you right into dossier preparation, in fact it is part of the dossier. Whether you are adopting internationally and sometimes even if you adopt domestically, you will have to prepare a dossier. The dossier consists of legal paperwork containing marriage certificates, birth certificates, and several other documents. Each country has it's own set of requirements for what it wants included in the dossier.

Once the dossier is finished, the hard part is done! Well... almost. Now you wait for the referral. The referral time also depends on the country. It can range between 6 months to 2 years and even longer in some cases. Just remember that old phrase: "Good things come to those who wait". Good luck in your journey! It will be well worth the wait!

Photo credit: Gabby Matlock