The process for adopting a baby in the U.S. is drastically different and much more unpredictable than adopting from abroad. While this process is a great fit for many families, we never even considered it. I will write a short summary of the program here, but having never considered this option, I am not an expert. Here is a link if you would like to learn more: Domestic Infant Open Adoption.
Families interested in Domestic Infant Open Adoption write profiles to be viewed by interested birth-families (usually while the birth-mother is still pregnant). These families can then choose to interview and hand-select the parents-to-be. This means the timeline could potentially vary from one day to never. Also, at any time during the process, including a certain amount of time after the baby is born, birth-families can change their mind and raise the baby themselves. While this can be great for the baby and birth-parents, it can be very stressful for the prospective adoptive parents. With international adoption, the time in which a birth-family can change their mind is usually over by the time a child is referred to an adoptive family several months, or even years, after the child is born.
This program also features open adoption. This means that the birth family and adoptive family are allowed to stay in contact to some agreed-upon degree. This could be anything from letters and pictures once a year to frequent, in person home visits. There are many pros and cons to open adoption that need to be considered by interested families.
Another option for adopting domestically is by going through the foster care system. There are many older children waiting to be adopted through this program. Click here to read more about this option.
No comments:
Post a Comment