How do you get started doing private adoption?

Question

Adoptions are so exspensive and all we want to do is give a child a loving home.

Answer 1

You can actually go to the department of social services.  There are children in foster care who don't have legal families and are in need of a loving home like you wish to provide.

Private adoptions normally involve a woman who is pregnant, but hasn't even had a child yet.  So, there really isn't a child who is actually available for adoption, only the possibility that this may become the case.  The children in foster care are already in existence and don't have permanent homes.

Adopting a child through foster care does not require the exorbitant financial burden of a private adoption, either.

Answer 2

Adoptions through an agency or privately both cost significant money because they both require many of the same things.  With private adoptions, sometimes you are also responsible for paying for medical bills, etc.  We started our adoption as a private adoption but due to some issues with the state, we found an agency to do an identified adoption for us which didn't cost that much more for us than if we would have done it privately.  

For us, we had a friend who knew someone who was looking to a make an adoption plan for their child and she told them about us.  She put us in touch with each other and they asked us to become parents to the child.  We were lucky.

With any adoption, you'll want to explore what your state regulations are about finding a birth family.  Many times there are certain restrictions on "advertising" so you want to make sure you are doing everything ethically and legally.  (Note:  I hate using the word "advertising" when referring to adoption).

I do agree with Laurie though that you may want to explore foster/adoption.  These are children that truly need permanent loving homes and many times the fees are reduced or assistance is available through the state.  

Whatever you choose, good luck to you.

Answer 3

More and more people are going through social services to adopt children who have lost their family and would give anything to have someone love them. I had a friend who adopted 2 little girls (sisters) and they have a great life. She was a single mom at the time. It will happen alot quicker and there's very, very little cost.