FAQ for Domestic Adoption

Common Questions in Domestic Adoption

How long will it take to adopt?

Most families waiting with Adoption Associates have a successful placement within 18 months after completion of their home study and profile. Birth parents generally want to select and meet the family they have chosen, so you will need to wait for the birth parent who decides that you can offer her baby the family and future she wants for her baby. Applicants open to adopting children of any races, or situations with substance abuse exposure for the infant, or greater degrees of openness will usually have a shorter wait.

What is a home study and what kind of information will I be asked to provide?

A home study is a pre-placement assessment of the prospective adoptive family, required for adoptive parents, conducted by an agency caseworker to determine that a family is suitable for the adoption of a child. The home study will include several meetings with the caseworker, including one in your home, as well as domestic adoption education requirements to educate you about adoption and prepare you for parenting an adopted child.

During the home study, these are some of the things that you’ll be asked about and required to provide:

  • personal and family background, and your own social history
  • significant people in your lives
  • family and home environment
  • physical and health history
  • motivation to adopt
  • expectations for the child, parenting skills
  • understanding of adoption, educating children about their adoption
  • education, employment and finances including insurance coverage and child care plan
  • personal references and criminal background clearances
What kind of costs are involved in a domestic adoption?
  • adoption professional service fees
  • outreach and education networking to locate potential birth parent clients
  • home study fees
  • birth parent expenses
  • legal fees
  • travel expenses
Are there financial resources to help me adopt?

There is currently a Federal Tax Credit available for most domestic adoptions. You can learn more about the federal tax credit eligibility and benefits through the IRS website. There are also a growing number of companies which offer adoption reimbursement, which will help cover the cost of your adoption. Check with your employer to find out if your company offers such benefits.

Check out our web page for information on adoption loans and grants.

What birth parent information will we receive?

As part of the process working with an agency, Adoption Associates will obtain as much information as possible about the birth parents’ health history, ethnicity and social background. We also seek a release from the birth mother to obtain her prenatal medical records if available. We will share all information obtained with the prospective adoptive parents, as well as information received from the hospital regarding delivery and newborn medical care.

What are some of the characteristics of birth mothers who are working with Adoption Associates?

We work with a large variety of women. The typical age range is approximately 17-25 years old, but they can also be much younger or older. We work with women of all different races and backgrounds. Many have children that they parent. Some can even be homeless, abused, have unsupportive families, are using drugs or have mental health history. Each woman has a unique situation and personality, but they all share the love that they have for their child and courage to try to give their baby the best future possible.

What is the differences between open, semi-open and closed adoptions?

Open and semi adoption involves contact between adoptive and birth parents, usually involving one or more in person meetings and contact continuing through the pregnancy and after placement. This contact can be handled through the agency without revealing specific identifying information, or both parties can share direct contact information if desired.

Adoption Associates requires that adoptive families are at least open to semi-open adoption, where there is in person meeting and agreement to communicate and exchange pictures and letters for up to 18 years. A family may also decide if they are open to ongoing visits up to age 18, which is considered a more fully open adoption, but should determine this during their home study, as the level of openness is often a factor in deciding which adoptive family profiles are appropriate to show a particular birth parent client.

In a closed adoption, the birth family and adoptive family do not have any direct contact. There are few situations where we find birth parents seeking a closed adoption.

The specific arrangements of openness during adoption is coordinated between birth parents and adoptive parents, and as with all relationships, they can evolve and change. Your adopted child will have questions and a history they want to know about. Open relationships in adoption are good for all parties.

Can the biological parents come back to take a child?

Adoption is a permanent plan and biological parents cannot come back to take a child once parental rights have been terminated. The legal process is carefully monitored, and birth parents voluntarily release their parental rights prior to the legal adoption. The termination hearing or release is typically 2-6 weeks after delivery. A child may be placed in your home directly from the hospital on a legal risk basis prior to the termination of parental rights and this situation can put a family at risk of a birth mother changing her mind before termination.