Information on Adoption:

Adoption not too long ago was considered a last resort and only left for those of us who wanted to help others in a less fortunate position. Now, the tables have turned and parents from across the United States are the ones who are less fortunate and want to adopt in large numbers. With more and more women putting off pregnancy until later years, the rate of couples unable to get pregnant has skyrocketed and these parents are left with expensive invitro procedures or they can adopt (usually international). Adoption agencies are big business since many people expect to pay at least $15000-$20000 to adopt a child or baby. There is paperwork and legal issues that must be dealt with for a smooth adoption.

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We found some great websites to help get you started on the right track with adoption information and procedures. Try going to TheAdoptionGuide.com, there Adoption Planner PDF file (you can print it out) is an excellent worksheet on adoption procedures. The planner takes you through the timeline in an adoption, how adoption agencies work, why you need an adoption attorney, and the various countries that offer adoption programs (China, Russia, Korea, Guatemala, and Ukraine). Programs in the United States that try to link up prospective adoptees with birthmothers who are considering giving away their child are on the rise as couples are having more trouble conceiving on their own. If parents are not so concerned with age of the child they are adopting, then perhaps a foster care adoption can work out. The kids from foster care programs tend to be older (3 to 10 years of age). We suggest that any couple talk over the issue of adoption very seriously before they become involved in the process. It can be a trying experience financially and emotionally and you need patience to survive roadblocks that come up. Keep in mind that the end result is what you are looking for - giving a child a loving home environment.

Adoption Attorney:

Adopting a baby can be a legal nightmare unless you get a qualified adoption attorney to help clear red tape (especially in foreign adoptions). An adoption attorney can lead you through the process and help you to avoid the common pitfalls in this contractual business of adoption. We have all seen too many horror stories of birth parents coming back to gain complete custody of their child years after the adoption took place. If done properly, that issue should never come up. When choosing an adoption attorney, try to contact them as early in the process as possible. Make sure you clarify up front what the attorney fees will be. Also, find out about the specific types of adoptions and services the attorney provides. Get references and talk with other families who have used the attorney when they adopted. There is a website dedicated to helping you find adoption attorneys at AdoptionAttorneys.org. If you are going to work with an adoption agency to help with the adoption process, they should be able to give you references of families who have used adoption attorneys so that you can talk with them and find out how things worked out.

International and Foreign Adoption:

As the legal complexity of adopting a child in the United States has become more severe, many parents and families are turning internationally to find the child they want to adopt. Many countries like Korea, China, and Russia have been doing intercountry adoptions for years and have made the process easier on foreigners. Intercountry adoptions are handled by private nonprofit adoption agencies. Overseas adoptions continue to grow and more adoption services are opening in the United States to help parents wade through the adoptive process and make it as easy as possible. Some good websites to get started on are Orphansoverseas.org, International.Adoption.com, and ChildrensHopeInt.org. All these sites offer detailed information on adopting children from different countries from around the world. In many cases international adoption is an easier process than domestic adoption.

Guatemala Adoption - China Adoption - Russia Adoption:

Baby adoptions are the most popular from China (as of 2003 stats). Nearly 7000 children were adoption from china in 2003 and that # is growing each year as the process to adopt from China is orderly and fairly simple. The average age of a child adoption from China is 11 months old and 95% are girls since the country is notorious for its 1 child law which makes male children very valuable and unfortunately girls less valuable in their system. The adoption process takes about 6-8 months in China and one parent must travel to China to adopt. Once you have adopted a baby or infant from China, there are large support communities in America and you can find them online in the Yahoo Groups section or search your local phone directory for international adoption groups. They can lead you to the right support group. Cost to adopt from China are $15,000-$20,000. Guatemala adoption is also on the rise as the country has high fertility rates and severe poverty which makes the decision for a birthmother a little easier as they know their child will go to a family that can provide their baby with a quality of life. It is more expensive to adopt from Guatemala ($25,000-$35,000). Couples and singles may adopt from Guatemala and the process takes about 6-9 months. You can join a parent support group with families who have adopted in Guatemala at Lapa.org. In 2003 Russia was the 2nd highest adoptive country for U.S. parents (right behind China). The percentage of children available for adoption under the age of 1 is less in Russia than other countries, but you can still adopt a baby if you take your time. The cost is similar to that in Guatemala but you are required to make 2 trips to Russia as part of the process. The timeline in the adoption is about 5 months.

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