Adoption agencies are organizations that help people through the adoption process. The services they provide vary. Some of the services they may provide are home studies, pre-placement counseling, post-placement counseling and child placement services. Agencies also vary by their focus of services. Some provide public domestic adoption, private domestic adoption, special needs adoption or international adoption. Finding the right adoption agency for you is important, and the information that follows may help you begin your journey to adoption.
First, let's talk about some of the services adoption agencies provide. Pre-placement counseling is often done as part of the application process. This is the time when the agency gives you information about the types of children waiting adoption. and discusses with you the challenges and benefits of adoption. It's a good time for you to consider if adoption is right for you and your family. While the benefits to families and waiting children may be many, adoption is not right for everybody. Being comfortable asking questions of your adoption agency is important so that you can make the best decision for you and your family. So, if you are not able to ask questions or your agency is not helpful here, it may be a good time to check with other adoption agencies to see if someone else is better able to work with you and your family.
At this time, the agency should also be able to provide you with an estimate of the costs involved. Except for public domestic adoption, for which the fees are pretty standard, costs will depend on a lot of different factors, and so you should be informed that they can only give an estimate. Gathering all of the information needed for the application is tedious, but necessary. The adoption agency will need information on your marriage, health, living situation, financial situation and the characteristics of the child you would like to adopt. All of this information will be discussed in depth during the home study.
During this pre-placement application period, the adoption agency will also provide information about adoption in ways to help you decide if adoption is right for you. It is also a time when they begin to evaluate your suitability to adopt.
The home study is when an agency worker will visit with you and your family, help prepare you for the adoption, gather information necessary for regulatory agencies, and further evaluate your readiness to adopt. It can be a nerve-wracking experience having someone come into your home asking you personal questions. But home study workers know how stressful it can be. If you keep in mind that she is trying to help you and your future child so that the best placement decision is made, it will help you during this time.
The worker will ask questions about your present, and any past, marriages or relationships. Most agencies permit persons who have been divorced to adopt, so don't worry too much about this. Their main concern is that your present relationship is a stable one, and some will have rules that you have to be married for a certain length of time (often one or two years) before you can adopt. The worker will also ask about your health and lifestyle. Again, most agencies permit some illnesses unless one has a terminal illness. The worker will ask about past and present alcohol and substance use. Mild or moderate alcohol consumption is usually not a problem, but heavy alcohol use is. Addiction or problem use of alcohol or substances must be absent, since this would not be a healthy environment for the child.
Remember, adoption is all about the baby and/or children being adopted. Their safety and well-being, current as well as future, are of the utmost importance. Keep that in mind while the social worker asks some very personal questions. It is her responsibility to gather the information necessary for the adoptedchildrennews.com/adoption adoption agency to determine if the child is going into a loving and caring family.
Loman is a content advisor and a frequent contributor of AdoptionAgencynews.com Find more about adopting, adoptive parents and findadoptionagencies.com adoption agency and services
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