What you need to know about adoption process
If you are interested in pursuing adoption, the agency’s licensed social workers will meet with you to learn more about what you’re looking for in an adoptive family and provide information about how to consider an adoption plan with a family you come to know through our program. If you would like to consider staying in touch with your child and the adoptive family over the years, we will help you learn more about open adoption.
Our social workers can share profiles of prospective adoptive families and help you interview them by phone or in person if you’d like. The adoptive family can travel to your state to meet.
All prospective adoptive families have been thoroughly screened and evaluated in a process that is called a “home study”. This is an evaluation of the individuals, their relationship, their larger family and community circumstances, as well as their actual home. Background checks are completed with regard to criminal law, child abuse/neglect, sex offender information, and even a Federal FBI check. The agency reads letters from employers, friends, and family while also reviewing health, counseling, and financial records. A clinical social worker spends about 8-10 hours, spread out over a number of visits, getting to know the prospective adoptive parents well before they are approved to move forward in the adoption process.