How to Start the Adoption Process [in 5 Steps]

Finally starting the process of adopting a child can be one of the most exciting moments in your life. The sooner you start, the sooner you can be holding your new child in your arms.

 In this guide, we’ll break down how to start the adoption process, and walk you through the required steps. Follow along with this short guide to learn how to start the adoption process, or contact us for help getting started with adoption.

How Do I Begin The Adoption Process?

The beginning of the adoption process is straight forward, but involves a lot of paperwork. To begin the process, you’ll need to contact an adoption professional, apply to adopt, start the home study process, fill out your adoption planning questionnaire, and create an adoption profile.

Before taking these steps, it’s a good idea to set a budget, baby-proof your house, and gather important documents. Let’s break all that down.

Step 1: Reach Out to an Adoption Agency for a Consult

You deserve to grow your family in the least stressful, most expedient way possible. That’s why we recommend speaking to an adoption professional as soon as possible when starting the adoption process. 
Adoption can be complex on your own; the sooner you partner with a licensed agency, the smoother your adoption journey will be. 
Professionals like American Adoptions  of Indiana share the goal of expanding your family, which is why we provide every family a free consultation on request.

 

Step 2: Apply to Adopt

Applying to become an adoptive parent is very straight forward with American Adoptions. 
Start by filling out this form, which we call the pre-application. Once that’s complete, one of our adoption specialists will reach out to get you set up with the login information you’ll use to access your American Adoptions account.

 

Step 3: Start the Home Study Process

The home study process is an essential part of any adoption, where a social worker is invited to your house to make sure it will be a safe placement for children.

Home studies include verifying some personal information, so make sure you have documents ready, like your birth certificate and, if married, marriage license. The home study organization will also take this time to begin your background check. In some states, home studies also collect character reference letters from people who know you well.

 In some states a home study is provided for free by the state government, but in Indiana the prospective parents are asked to pay for it.

Step 4: Complete Your Adoption Planning Questionnaire

One of the most important things to consider in learning how to start the adoption process is your Adoption Planning Questionnaire, sometimes called an APQ. This is a form that asks you to think about many personal questions pertaining to what you are and are not comfortable with in the adoption process.

The completed questionnaire is an essential tool we use to match your family with expectant birth mothers. Find out more about this process from the perspective of a parent who's gone through it.

Step 5: Create Your Adoptive Family Profile

You’re almost ready to begin matching with birth mothers. Our last step before entering your family into our database is for you to create an Adoption Profile. We use these profiles to introduce your family to prospective birth mothers who match your APQ. 
Your profile is the perfect place to give women considering placing a child for adoption a sense of your personality, interests, hobbies, and long term goals, and a general sense of what a child’s life would look like as part of your family. Be authentic and honest; there’s someone out there waiting for a family just like yours.

 

That’s it! Once you submit your profile, you are officially an active family. When your profile receives its first match, an adoption specialist will contact you to put you in touch with a prospective birth mother. Congratulations on completing the first step on your adoption journey.

What to Do Before Starting the Adoption Process

One of the questions we often receive from people wondering how to begin the adoption process is what they can do immediately. Before starting the adoption process in earnest, it’s a good idea to gather some essential materials so you have them on hand when the time comes.

• Gather important documents. Early on in the adoption process, you will need your birth certificate, social security card, and, if adopting as a married couple, your marriage license.
• Prepare your home.  Home studies are conducted early on in the adoption process, and judge whether your home would be safe for children. It may seem premature, but some preliminary baby-proofing is an essential part of preparing for a home study.
• Prepare your Finances. Some families are initially unprepared for the costs of adoption. It’s a good idea to comprehensively review your finances and gather your available options. There are several financial resources available for adoptive families  if you find yourself in need of assistance.

We are ready to help you through the process of adoption from beginning to end. Take the first step towards parenthood or growing your family by filling out our free information request. 

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