Domestic Adoption
Domestic adoption is the process of adopting a child from your home country. Statistics show that less than half of all adoptions are domestic while more than half are International adoptions. If you decide to adopt domestically expect to wait a little longer, on average, for a child than if you were adopting from another country. The demand to adopt children from your own country is usually high.
While most international adoptions come from orphanages, domestic adoptions are usually done through agencies or through private adoption agreements. Adoption agencies can help match adoptive parents with children who are available for adoption. Choose an agency that is located near where you live. When looking for an adoption agency choose one that specializes in domestic adoptions. Many agencies advertise that they do both domestic and foreign adoptions but they may actually complete very few domestic adoptions.
Find out how many actual domestic adoptions an agency has completed before signing on. Always check to be sure that the agency is properly licensed and has been in business long enough to have some experience. Domestic adoptions are sometimes more costly than foreign adoptions because the demand is high. Adoption fees vary greatly.
Be prepared before signing up with an adoption agency. The agency will do a home study. This is an inspection of the home along with a lengthy questionnaire to ensure that you will make good parents. Prepare your home ahead of time to be sure that it is ready for inspection. If you don’t already have children, childproof the home so that a baby or small child will not get hurt. Prepare a room that will be for the baby or child. While you don’t need to have it set up already you should know where the child would sleep and have the room ready to be used as a bedroom.
Make sure that your background checks will come in good. The agency will perform a criminal background check, a medical check and an employment history on both parents. If all that is in order you may be placed on the waiting list for a child. The waiting list may be years in length, so be prepared to wait for a while.
If you want to get a child sooner you may want to think about adopting a child that is older or one that has special needs. There are usually many children that need placement. The foster home system places children into homes on a temporary basis. These children may not yet be eligible for adoption and have become wards of the state. They may end up going back to their birth families if they are able. These kids may be placed in foster care due to family situations such as drug abuse or physical abuse. The parents may be deemed unfit but may still have the ability to get their children back later on. If you agree to foster care you are taking a chance that after sometimes years of care in your home the child may be sent back to his or her parents. This can be heartbreaking for both the family and the child.