Adoption 101 – The Process

Many people have asked us about the process, so we thought it would be a great idea to give an overview from what we have learned so far from our experience. We don’t know how many parts there will be to this “101” posting, but we want to be informative without being overwhelming. We are still relatively new and we're getting a crash course in adoption. We learn something new almost everyday.

After a couple or person, has decided to adopt, the first step is to seek what type of adoption is most suitable for you, public (run by the states) or private. We have chosen a private agency, Bethany Christian Services (we are not promoting them in any way, just stating a fact). We will do a separate post on the types of adoption, because there are several options.

Here's the basic outline of the adoption process as we know it:
1) Gather information (do your research, attend informational sessions, etc)
2) Complete the formal application (we also had to complete a preliminary application in order to qualify for the formal application)
3) Begin the Homestudy phase (this occurs once the formal application is approved; this is very involved, and requires a separate post entirely--- this part of the process can take several months. We are here!)
4) Officially enter the waiting list for a placement (the waiting period varies by adoption method and the “characteristics” of the child desired” (e.g. ethnicity, age, special needs, etc)
5) Placement of the child (depending on the adoption type, some placements may have legal risks)
6) Adoption finalization (after some time (~6 months or so), the adoption is finalized through the court system; the adoptive parents can officially give their child their last name)

The length of this entire process varies. We have read where some couples have waited for 5-7 years for placement! But we have witnessed where couples waited for only 6-8 weeks for placement after their homestudy. We believe that our placement will be in the much shorter range, because of our interest in an African-American infant.

Because of this timeline, we are in frenzy with everything. Learning about adoption, going through the process, figuring out how to get money for the process and the list goes on. Oh yeah, and we have to prepare to be actual parents! It’s exhausting to think about, but we are so excited to have this opportunity.

Follow our day-to-day journey on Twitter @OHD_psalm374.