Hot topics for both consumers and webmarketers on WebmasterRadio.FM
Every Wednesday, 5PM Eastern.
Adoption Process Tips
Adoption Costs
Adoption costs can vary in the type of adoption services (agency or attorney) and the type of adoption program (domestic, international, foster care or relative). Adopting from the foster care system, stepparent adoptions, and relative adoptions tend to be the least expensive. Domestic adoption costs can vary depending on the types of services offered, state fees, possible travel expenses, and possible birthmother expenses. The search process for locating birthparents can be expensive. Potential adopting parents can choose whether to pay for the location service or try to locate birthparents on their own. International adoption expenses also vary depending on services, dossier fees, travel expenses and individual country fees.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Making an Adoption Plan
Making an adoption plan refers to creating a path for your adoption choices and the adoption process. The adoption plan includes learning about adoption and creating an idea of what type of child an adopting family is looking for. By determining what type of child and what type of adoption they desire, adopting parents will be better able to work with an adoption agency, the birthparents and the process in general.
Potential adopting parents should be encouraged to enter adoption with open minds to the children who are in need of homes. They should avoid creating a very narrow idea of the type of child they wish to adopt when they are new to adoption. Parents may also want to think about adopting more than one child, depending on the type of adoption they choose. The adoption plan should be a long-term series of goals for a family. The potential adopting parents should consider what the changes that adoption will make in their lives. They should also think about what they hope to accomplish in the waiting period for their child. The adoption process can be a long, yet educational and fulfilling path.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Legal Issues in Adoption
It is extremely important that potential adopting parents become acquainted with adoption laws when pursuing adoption. Adoption laws, like all legislation, are constantly under review and undergoing changes. Knowing current adoption laws will help parents gain an understanding of financial obligations, interstate adoption laws, the Indian Child Welfare Act, termination of parents rights, and the rights protecting birthparents (and potential situations when they could change their minds).
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Coping with the Waiting Period
The waiting period after starting an adoption can be a very frustrating and anxious time for parents. Parents should try to be as patient as possible and keep a positive outlook. The waiting period can be a time to research and gain greater understanding on adoption, read parenting books or magazines, or join an adoption group or Internet chat room with other adopting parents.
Parents may also prepare for their new child by choosing baby names, getting the child's room ready, or keeping a journal of their feelings and insights during the adoption process. Parents who are adopting internationally may want to learn more about the country from which their child is from or research travel information.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Adoption Homestudies
Any adopting parent is required by all state laws to complete an adoption homestudy before placement. A homestudy gathers information about an adopting family such as their motivation to adopt, their social history, and their parenting plans. In some cases, homestudies may include some education about adoption. The homestudy is written report that is developed over the course of several meetings, at least one of which takes place in the adopting couple's home.
At the home visit, the social worker performing the homestudy can assess the home for the living conditions and safety of a child. Each homestudy can be completed differently. Although each state has some guidelines on what must be covered in a homestudy, each agency has their own way of compiling the information.
Some homestudies are completed by working only with the adopting family, while other agencies may have some group classes at the beginning or the end of the process. All homestudies, regardless of individual agency guidelines, will require medical records, a criminal background check, background information on each adopting parents, and a safety assessment of the home.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Adoption Tax Credit
A federal adoption tax credit is available for up to about $10, 000 per child. This credit is available for domestic or international adoptions. Parents who adopt domestically can claim credit for qualifying expenses even if an adoption is unsuccessful. Parents who adopt a child from the U.S. with special needs can claim full credit without qualifying expenses. Some states offer tax credits as well, in varying amounts. Financial help is available by the state for adoptions of children with special needs. Adoption subsidies can assist families with the special needs expenses and services. Some companies also offer adoption benefits to assist with costs as well as paid or unpaid adoption leave. The federal tax credit must be honored in conjunction with any adoption benefits offered by employers.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Open Adoptions
An open adoption means there is some level of communication between the birthparents and the adopting parents in an adoption, whether it is directly or indirectly. Openness is an increasingly popular practice with adoption planning. Medical data, social history, and other possible information can help the adopting family, especially the adopted child, cope with and understand more about the reasons for adoption and the birthparents in general.
Birthparents can feel greater confidence in their decision to plan adoption when they know who will be caring for their child. There are varying degrees of openness in adoption. In most cases, the birthparent will choose the adopting family and disclose medical and social history. The birthparents and the adopting parents may choose to have pictures sent back and forth through the use of the adoption agency. In other cases the birthparents and the adopting parents may meet face-to-face and the birthparents may stay involved throughout the child's life. The level of openness is different for each situation depending upon what both the birthparents and the adopting parents are comfortable with.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Evaluate Adoption Risks
Potential adoptive parents must understand and accept that there are risks associated with any adoption. Parents should consider the financial, legal, medical, and emotional risks involved with adoption. They should determine what possible situations they are comfortable with and are willing to accept. They should also remember that they can choose if a particular adoption scenario is right for them.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
After the Homestudy
Once the homestudy is successfully completed, the parents are ready to be matched with a child. This is the placement period. The placement period can take different lengths of time for everyone. Parents adopting domestically may be searching for prospective birthparents through a number of different ways. Parents pursuing a foster care adoption may be able to view information about the children who are available for placement. Parents adopting internationally may receive referral of a child.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Financial Aid for Adoption
Adoption costs can be managed through careful financial planning. Some adopting couples have worked with friends, families and churches or other local organizations to raise money to help them with their adoption. Loans from a commercial lender or financial institution can be taken out to help parents with the cost of an adoption. Potential adoptive parents should check into their employer's adoption policies, since some companies will offer adoption benefits. Couples may also be eligible for an adoption tax credit. Government subsidies may be available for foster care adoptions or special needs adoptions. Medical expenses can be lessened if the birthmother has her own insurance or is eligible for Medicaid. In some cases, the adopting couple's insurance policy may cover the birthmother's medical expenses after the adoption.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Personal References
Finding good personal references for the homestudy is important, because these reference letters will be read. The references should convey that the couple is ready and will make good parents. The adopting couple should put careful thought into who they would like to write their reference letters. They should be sure to choose people they have known for at least a few years.
They should also consider the person's background (choose people who are parents to explain good parenting traits). They should also check that the reference does not have any prejudices against international or transracial adoptions. Also, parents should advise the reference that the letter is important to them. Adopting parents should first ask if a person is willing to be a reference. Parents want to ensure that the person writing the reference will be happy to recommend them and not view letter as a hassle.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Termination of Parental Rights
Almost all adoptions require either voluntary or involuntary termination of parental rights before the adoption can be finalized or legally completed. Many parents voluntarily terminate their parental rights when their children are infants or toddlers. They do so by signing legal consent forms. The time period the parent has to revoke the signature varies depending upon the state.
When a child has been in foster care for many years, the caseworker may ask the parents if they would like to voluntarily terminate their parental rights so the child can be freed for adoption. In some cases, the court may terminate parental rights. This court action happens when a child has been in foster for a long time and the caseworker has determined that the biological parents cannot assume parenting responsibilities.
Save Tip
Comments
Tip Rating
Adoption Networking
Networking is the way that potential adopting parents get the word out that they are looking for adoption services. There are many children throughout the world who are available for adoption as long as adopting parents keep an open mind to the type of child that they desire and how willing they are to search for a child. Couples who actively participate in their adoption process learn more about adoption and thus feel more comfortable with their adoption. The more open a couple is about their willingness to adopt and having their homestudy completed, may also impact their success in adoption.
