Where can I find out how to adopt a healthy baby?

Question

My husband and I would like to adopt, but don't know where to start. We would like to adopt with in the U.S. if possible. Anyone know a safe route to go here?

Answer 1

Adoption through foster care matches parents with children in their communities.  Opening your mind and heart to kids 3 years old or older has many pluses:

- more can be assessed about the child's health and development

- because older children have a harder time finding a placement, subsidies are provided.  Makes it easier to adopt 2!

- while older child adoption comes with some emotional difficulties for the child, training and support is offered to prepare you to get your kids through it.

- you can specify how much risk (of their parent's rights not being terminated) you are willing to live with.  Since 1996, federal law has directed  states to either get the kids reunified with family within a year (just 6 months for babies) or find them a permanent family.

It should be easy to find an information session in your community for foster child adoption.  Forget the agencies, go straight to the county first.  There are many healthy kids out there looking for a forever family.  I have my two!

Answer 2

Domestic adoption is very safe, as long as you go through a reputable adoption agency.  That is not to say that there may be glitches along the way, that is the risk you take emotionally when you adopt.

With an agency, you will fill out preliminary criteria, based on what you desire in a child.  For example, age, race, gender, medical issues, etc.,  They will ask you if you will accept certain things as well........ie; a mother who did not have any prenatal care, a mother who smoked or drank, or was on prescription medicine....... a child born with a cleft pallette or clubbed foot (both can be easily corrected these days)... a premature baby, and the list goes on.

Once the criteria is a part of your file, the agency "should" be contacting you when there is a potential placement for you, meaning, your criteria considered, there may be an "issue" with a mother/baby, and they will contact you, advise you of the issue, then you decide whether or not you want to be considered for that baby, along with other waiting parents.

The bottom line is that even if  you carried a child yourself, there are not guarantees on the health of that baby. You just have to trust in God, and go with your gut. Adoption is a wonderful experience.  It is however, an emotional rollercoaster, my advice to you is to educate yourself by reading and attending seminars.  Good Luck

Answer 3

I would suggest contacting a local reputable adoption agency.  We used Adoptions From the Heart.  They will best be able to tell you the requirements for your state.  You could also contact your local foster care program thru your local Dept of Human Services to gain more info on their foster/adopt program.

Good luck to you.

Answer 4

look in the yellow pages, you will find hundreds of adoption agencies.

Answer 5

Start with a local adoption agency if possible, because they will provide face to face services.  Or, find out which non-local agencies work with local (to them) birthmothers.  Why?  Because the single most factor to predict that a birthmother will be able to someday feel positive about her decision to place her baby for adoption?  COUNSELING!  If the agency you are working with has birthmothers all over the country, there is no way they can work closely with her, and provide on going counseling.

Answer 6

i am not sure but i do know that it is very hard to foster, and then adopt a healthy child....most that my husband and i have looked into are mentaly or physicly challenged...

Answer 7

Go through a reputable adoption agency.  They are pretty expensive I think but you know you won't get scammed or be buying a baby that was kidnapped or something.  You could also adopt through foster care.  Alot of abused babies get taken away from their parents and need a loving home.