Basics of Your Adoption Experience

Hello!! My husband and I are very new to looking into adoption. For those who have fully been through the process, or even are in the midst. ..... can you tell me some basics? A-how long did it take you to complete the process from start to finish? B- did you go through your county or state in a public capacity or go through a private agency? C- can you share the costs of what you paid or what is typical for those to pay going through the process from start to finish? Any other basics or information that would be good to know for someone just starting out. It's overwhelming and even just deciding to go through private or public is a lot. Private seems a lot more expensive but going the public route. Seems like it takes forever with way less opportunities for babies or younger children, because they have to go through the system before they finally get to the adoption phase rather than foster. Thank you in advance.

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(1/?) Hi there! Currently going through the adoption process through the State of RI. We started as foster parents, but the process & licensing is the same for State adoption & foster care. Your state should have its state agency (ours is DCYF, it could be CPS , or DCF, etc.) and a number of private, non-profit agencies that deal with the state’s agency. I would look into a private agency, there may be one that is primarily focused on adoption. Private agencies act as a middle-man and help represent you while working with state. Ultimately, going through the state means very little cost to you. First, you will need to be licensed & take courses. You can be liscened with or without an agency. It’s all the same course. Our was once a week for 10 weeks. You will need to pass background checks, a home study where they create a written profile about your family and home life. You’ll also have a safety inspection your home…

(2/?) I would be considerate of the age range you’re looking to adopt. If you’re only interested in infants, you may be waiting a while. If you’re open to even toddlers, that could expedite your process. If you are also open to siblings, that’s a huge plus. Because you’re only looking to adopt, you’ll be placed with children who are eligible for adoption. This could mean open adoption - but not always. Technically, because you go through the same system as foster care, they’ll be a 6-month period with your placement before getting to start the adoption process where you’ll get paid the foster care stipend. You’ll be provided and attorney if you choose and the process can go as quickly as a year from start to finish, or up to three years if you are dealing with open adoption & the biological parents are fighting with the state.

(3/3) For us, our adoption process will be less than a year, and cost us nothing. We had to come up with an open adoption agreement with her biological dad, which can be as simple as updates about the child sent quarterly to their email, or it could mean visits, but it’s something that’s agreed upon in mediation with attorneys & a mediator. Our daughter’s bio mom is in the wind, so apart from some legal red tape we had to wait for the state to go through. This will be a closed adoption so there will be no contact. Our process is much more convoluted than yours will be, because we started as foster parents before adopting. I hope that info is helpful!

We did International adoption, feel free to message me if you have questions

A. 2 years B.private agency C. Costs add up. We paid for our home study, background checks, professional photos, professional profile book, multiple agency application fees, consultant fees before matching. Home study renewal and repeat associated costs. After matching: agency fees, birth mom expenses, legal expenses, interstate compact (if you adopt outside your home state), and $ it cost to stay in Florida for 28 days. I would be happy to share more privately. 💕

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