Has anyone adopted a child?

Question

my fiance and i are considering adopting a child once we are married, but we dont know what the procedure is or how to go about it. any help would be grateful!! thanks a lot

Answer 1

No, and i would never because it Will be nicer to have my own child from me not from someone else. But its up to you..

Answer 2

I have not adopted a child..however I have been adopted...TWICE..long story..anyways.......It is a very long process..maybe.a year or longer(or less) depending on the child and the circumstances.  I was adopted first at age 5 and again at 13.  I think the first step would be to figure out if you want a boy/girl , the age, all of these things can factor into how the whole process will go. Generally the younger you want your child to be the longer you have to wait.  Adopting a child that is a little older like say between the ages of 5 and 10 (or older) can be difficult because of a likely troubled past..but it can also be extremely rewarding for both the parents and the children if you are able to really bond with each other.  Contact your local Department of Human Services or Child Protective services and  ask them what steps to take.   I know that one set of my parents were at a conference about adoption and saw my picture in a book of adoptable kids...and the rest is history

Answer 3

Yes!  My parents adopted me when I was a child!  They want to Social services and voila!

Answer 4

my parents adopted my sister from Russia when i was in 5Th grade(I'm in 7Th now) it was a amazing experience and i actually got to travel to Russia.It takes a long time to actually get a referral but once you get a referral your heart feels like it's going to burst with joy. I wish you luck and have a wonderful life together!!!

Answer 5

I was adopted at the age of 4 months, and I've been with my adoptive family since then. I am now going on 25 years old, and I do know who my biological family is...  I would find a local adoption agency, and talk to them..

Answer 6

Yes.  We have an adopted 4 year old, who we became the proud parents of in June 2007.

The procedure began long before that however.  You need to contact you local adoption authority and get the process rolling. It involves lengthy investigation and approval processes.  Make a few calls or have a look on the net as to what is in place in your local area.

Expect 12-18 months while the investigation and approval is being undertaken including a lot of invasive questions about your background, family, etc.   You will then be approved (all being well) and go on a list for a child.  Depending on the kind of child you want (age, race, etc.) you may be in for an even longer wait...but have an open mind, hang in there, and soon enough, you'll be blessed :)

Its a wonderful thing to do.  Good luck.

Answer 7

My husband and I adopted both of our daughters from foster care.  We were involved in foster care for a while and then got a 4 year old girl and were able to adopt her when she was six, then, about a year later, a 13 year old girl was placed with us and we adopted her at 14.  Adoption from foster care is relatively simple compared to trying to adopt an infant and it cost us nothing.  The state (Tennessee) covered all adoption costs and continues to pay us a monthly stipend for their care because they were older and require some specialized care for emotional issues stemming from their pasts.

Answer 8

We adopted our first one almost 15 years ago, had one of our own unexpectidly (we were not supposed to be able to) and we just got our third (second one adopted) earlier this week.  

As for the procedures, they vary by state/province and country.  I'm sure your local authorities can advise you better then anyone on this site could.

Answer 9

I have adopted twice. Its not as hard as people may think.  We found a great agency here in California.  Here are the steps.

1. Weekend intensive workshop. - they basically go over everything you need to know etc.

2. Paperwork- and not even that much. They want to make sure you make enough money, have some friend references that kind of thing.

3. You have to get a physical.  They want to make sure you are healthy and are going to be around in order to raise a child.

4. Get a home inspection done. They want to make sure your home is safe for a baby

5. Create a website, and birth mother letter- this is your way of advertising yourself.

6. Sit back and wait.

Here is the agency I used.  www.adoptionhelp.org

Answer 10

my husband had put his first son up for adoption (he was 15 when he was born) and he knew the family. His son is in our life and understands why it was done and appreciates it and loves his adoptive family and loves us and his siblings too. He comes and visits every now and again he's now 15yo and extremely smart and handsome and a well balanced teen

Answer 11

You will need to do a lot of research on the types of adoption to determine what will best fit your family, these include; domestic, international and foster.

I would recommend the website www.informedadoptions.com, this is a website of adoptive parents and they could recommend some good books and websites for you to read.

Good luck.

Answer 12

I'm pregnant and considering adoption as an alternative. Its pretty simple, go to social services, and they should know what to do. Sometimes, its cheaper and easier if you find a child that isn't in a high demand catagory, like one that is a minority or is a few years old, verses a newborn.