Why is it so expensive to adopt a needy child?

Question

I completely understand why a prospective adopter needs to go through various background checks and hoops but why such a high price tag? With so many children in need of loving homes it just doesn't seem ethical to me. My husband and I would LOVE to adopt an orphaned child but the cost is outrageous...I don't understand.

Answer 1

Hi Thatgirl,

I agree - the prices of some adoptions are outrageous and unnecessary!  If you are spending $7,000 and up, then you are not looking at a "needy child."  Those with the high price tags are usually from the infant transfer adoption program.  Those prices are high due to the economics of supply and demand.  There are less infants so people are willing to pay higher prices to get them.

You say that you and your husband would LOVE to adopt an orphaned child.  That's great as there are over 140,000 of them in the U.S.  Costs range from free to minimum to adopt these children.  If you add which state you live in, we can help direct you to the proper department that handles the foster-to-adopt program for your state.  There are so many children waiting right now who need homes & families.  I promise you, it will not be expensive, and the wait will not be long.  Good luck,

julie j

reunited adoptee

Answer 2

Adopting an ORPHANED child doesn't cost lots of money.  It's free to adopt from foster care (where the ORPHANED children actually are.)

Answer 3

Foster care adoptions are often free.  Lots of needy children are waiting and it's not that expensive.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I have to agree with your question. It feels like we are buying a needy child doesn't it.

We wanted to adopt but didn't have $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000 in our savings account. We decided that foster adopt was our best way to help a needy child. It cost us about $325 which we are told will be reimbursed at the finalization of adoption. The foster system has it's own sets of hoops. However, we really  like the fact that we can provide our girls the opportunity to know their extended family (who are intelligent and safe individuals).

I have documented our journey and have LOTS of resources to help you no matter what your adoption choice.

Don't let funds keep you from loving a child in need. Think about all those kids who don't have someone to rock them back to sleep after a bad dream - let that motivate you to keep on to find the adoption plan that works for you!

www.adoptive-parenting.com

Answer 5

That's why alot of families choose to adopt from overseas which is another load of paperwork and additional effort on your part. Just think of it as a substitute for labor and delivery. They probably jack the price up afterall - labor and delivery for your own child is somewhere between 5 and 15K for a normal natural vaginal birth and alot more with any complications. There are companies where they offer an adoption benefit of about $5,000 to help with adoptions. You might consider moving to a company where you can get access to something like that if you're serious about getting help. Companies who have an adoption benefit also tend to be family friendly to their employees as well. Another poster mentioned adopting through foster care which is another great idea but do take caution - unless you foster-adopt a very young child - they are likely to have serious challenges and cultural differences that you may or may not be ready for so make sure to let your preferences be made known if you go that route.

Answer 6

I agree with you. It has to do with homestudies, agency fees, medical and court costs, fees from different countries, if your adopting domestic then your forced to pay for the birth mother's medical bills. It's outrageous. I'd adopt from the USA except I don't have $4,000+ lying around to adopt a child.

Answer 7

Adoption of a child in Foster Care is almost always Free and if there are costs those are generally only a few hundred dollars.

Answer 8

Adopting a NEEDY child is free.  Call your local DHS.  There are lots of children waiting in foster care for families.

Answer 9

Adopting a healthy child under 2 years of age (or so) through a private agency can be very expensive.  It takes a lot of money to pay the salaries of brain washers (aka "counselors") to convince the parents of the child that the child is "needy" and that strangers with more money will be better parents.  And there is all of the money that the agencies have to spend to lure in parents who are in financially vulnerable situations.

Truly needy children without parents do not cost a dime.  Please check with your state foster care program.

Answer 10

The process itself is expensive.  Lawyers, court fees, document authentication, medical tests, counseling, so on and so forth.

That's not to say that some unscrupulous agencies don't tack on their own "fees".  

There is also the foster-adopt system to consider as well.  It depends on which adoption route is right for your family.  Do your research!

Answer 11

You need to do more research.  Whoever told you $7000 is clearly from a private agency.  You need to contact the local state departments involved with foster care.

Adopting through the fostercare system should cost less than $1000, mostly in legal and court fees.  And, you may pay nothing depending on the circumstances (for example, because we adopted siblings the state paid for our lawyer and all court fees).

Answer 12

It is not.