The Adoption Process

We knew almost nothing about the adoption process when we got started, so I thought it would be nice to try to answer common questions you might have. Here is an explanation of the adoption process (as best as we know it!).

-Application Process: There are a few applications that we fill out before we begin our homestudy. This includes background information about us, references from our employers, friends, and our pastor.

-Homestudy Process: This involves a stack of paperwork ranging from information about our extended family, our home, self-evaluations, interviews with the adoption case worker and more! The caseworker will also visit our home before the adoption and after a baby has been placed in our home.

-Waiting List: Once we finish the applications and the homestudy, we will be placed on a waiting list. This can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year. The agency will match our profile with birthmothers/families. The birthmother/family will then view our family profile book, at which time she may want to meet us in person. The agency typically tries to avoid showing families to the birthmother any earlier than 3 months prior to her due date to avoid having the birthmother change her mind (decide to keep her baby). After an in person meeting, the birthmother/family can decide to select us, or continue her search. Very rarely, there will be no meeting at all. The agency does get calls from hospitals, from time to time, asking them to find a family for a baby at the last minute....in which case we could become parents in just a day(s) notice!

-Placement: We will hopefully be able to meet our new little one at the hospital and bring them home shortly after. We will then have meetings with the caseworker and possibly a face to face meeting with the birthmother/family in the months to follow. The openness of the adoption is mostly decided on what the birthmother wants.