Types of adoption

Adoption choices include various combinations of independent, public or private agency, domestic or international, open or closed adoptions.

Independent (private) adoption

An adoption that is arranged without an adoption agency is called an independent adoption. Your first step toward an independent adoption is learning whether it is legal in your state. If it is legal, learn the details of your state's independent adoption law-state adoption laws vary significantly. Your best resource for independent adoption information in your state is an experienced adoption attorney.

To independently adopt, you must first find a birth mother who is planning to place her baby for adoption. Depending on your state's laws, you might be permitted to advertise in the paper, ask a local obstetrician or pregnancy crisis center to pass your information on to prospective birth mothers, or use a professional adoption facilitator or consultant.

After you develop a legal agreement with a birth mother and father (if known, he must be included), you will pay for many of her expenses. It's typical for adoptive parents to pay for a birth mother's health care and some of her living expenses. Some experts suggest that you also pay for adoption counseling for the birth parents, as well as separate legal counsel.

This type of agreement is more risky than an agency adoption because it is not regulated by an adoption agency. In most states, a birth mother is not legally required to pay you back if she decides to keep her baby after the birth.

Identified adoption is a variation of independent adoption. After finding a birth mother, you enlist an adoption agency to handle the proceedings. The advantages of this arrangement are the agency's counseling, home study, and legal support services for you and the mother, and less financial risk for you.

Adoption between states

Adopting a child from another state is more complex than adopting within your state. Both states' adoption laws must be followed carefully for such an adoption to be finalized. You will need an adoption agency or attorney to help you with the process.

Agency adoption

There are many privately funded adoption agencies that can link you to infant and child adoptions locally, in other states, and internationally. Your state's social services or health and human services agency is the umbrella organization for publicly funded adoptions of children who live in your state. These children are likely to be in foster care because of maltreatment or neglect. You can find agency information on the online National Adoption Directory, provided by the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse (NAIC). Look for nonprofit or government-regulated adoption agencies.

Although the agency adoption process is long, it is designed to protect the child's interests, as well as yours and the birth parents'. After filling out extensive paperwork, expect to have an orientation process and a home study. An agency social worker will examine your home life, emotional and physical health, and financial stability. During this series of contacts, your social worker will also advise you on preparations, adoption, adjustment, and parenting issues. A home study can take a few months for an agency to complete.

Depending on whether you plan to adopt an international or American infant or child, you may wait months to years until you hear news of a child. While an international adoption is likely to be finalized before you leave the child's birth country, an American adoption is filed and finalized after you have lived together, usually for at least 6 months. During this period, your social worker will visit and keep in touch with you, ultimately writing a recommendation to the court in support of the adoption. If you have adopted internationally, you will also work with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

Open and closed adoptions

If you are adopting within the United States, it is likely that you will have the opportunity to maintain contact with your child's birth parents. You will ideally negotiate an arrangement that works for them, you, and the child.

An open adoption agreement allows some level of communication between the birth mother and your family. Adoptions can be open to varying degrees, from only discussing medical history by phone or mail to regular visitation. A semi-open adoption agreement permits only the exchange of first names and correspondence through the adoption agency. Open adoption is generally considered to be better for an adopted child.

Some birth parents prefer a closed adoption, which keeps all birth parent and adoptive family information confidential.