Thinking about Adopting?
Adoption is a legal process in which all-parental rights and responsibilities are transferred from one set of parents to a couple or individual who has agreed to assume those rights and responsibilities. Adoption is an opportunity to provide a stable, loving environment and a 'forever family' for a child in need.
There are many types of adoption: infant adoption, foster care adoption, and intercountry adoption. There are many useful resources to help learn more about adoption. Some are listed below.
Adoption agencies
The National Council for Adoption's (NCFA) member adoption agencies are an excellent resource for adopting through an agency and to find out about available education, counseling, and support groups.
State Adoption Specialists
Every state has an Adoption Specialist, who can answer questions about the adoption processes for the state in which you live. NCFA also provides answers to frequently asked adoption questions.
Adoption Data and Facts
Adoption is a long-standing institution in America. It is well worth the time to explore data and facts about domestic, foster care, and intercountry adoption in America.
Costs of Adopting
The cost of adoption differs if adopting domestically, from the public foster care system, or from overseas. Domestic adoptions and intercountry adoptions cost anywhere from $8,000 to $40,000, more commonly falling between $15,000 to $25,000. The cost of adopting a child from foster care adoption is minimal. Needed post-adoption services are also a cost consideration. Costs might include family counseling or medical procedures in case of a child with special needs. There are in place a number of cost-saving mechanisms, such as federal tax credits, which assist in defraying pre- and post-adoption expenses.
Adoption Attorneys
To find out about using an attorney to complete an adoption, the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys is a good source for attorneys specializing in adoption.
Contact the National Council for Adoption (NCFA) with any questions:
National Adoption Week is held annually the week of Thanksgiving.
Adopted children enjoy more socioeconomic advantages than children who remain with their unmarried birth mothers. Adoptive parents tend to be better-educated and older with higher incomes.
Only 1-2% of adopted adults "search" for their biological parents.
State and Federal adoption subsidy programs are available to assist parents with the costs of caring for a "special needs" child.
There are waiting lists of couples that would like to adopt infants with Downs Syndrome or spina bifida.
There are a large number of couples that would like to adopt terminally ill babies, including babies with AIDS.
Adolescents who were adopted as infants fare better in school, have more friends, enjoy higher self-esteem, and put more value on caring for others than teenagers who were not adopted.
