The Parent's Guide To Adopting A Child - Important Steps, Things To Consider, And The Legal Side...

By Melanie Taylor

Adoption involves becoming the legal guardian of a child that is not biologically your own.

Adoption is a very fulfilling and enjoyable thing to do, and it can change your family forever. Raising a child, any child, is a miracle. Providing care for a child whose biological parents are unable or unwilling to take care of them is a particularly special thing.

Adoption is something that intimidates a lot of families, but the process is simpler than you might think...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melanie Taylor
• Release date: Apr 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524298579

Book preview

WHAT IS ADOPTION

Why Adopt?

Common Misconceptions

SHOULD YOU ADOPT?

Adoption is a Big Commitment

Adopting vs Foster Care

Open Adoption

WHAT TO EXPECT

Adopting at Different Ages

How Much Does Adoption Cost

THE ADOPTION TIMELINE

First Few Months

6 Months To 9 Months

9 Months To 2 Years

12 Months to 36 Months

Choosing an Adoption Agency

Placement Questions

Process  Questions

Financial Questions

Adoption Specific Questions

Other Things to Look At

US FOSTER ADOPTION

FAMILY LIFE

Adopting an Older Child

Helping Siblings Cope

Introducing Adoption To an Older Child

When Your Child Grows Up

CONCLUSION

WHAT IS ADOPTION

Adoption involves becoming the legal guardian of a child that is not biologically your own. Adoption is a very fulfilling and enjoyable thing to do, and it can change your family forever. Raising a child, any child, is a miracle. Providing care for a child whose biological parents are unable or unwilling to take care of them is a particularly special thing. Adoption is something that intimidates a lot of families, but the process is simpler than you might think.

Why Adopt?

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Adopting is a selfless and valuable act that provides children who are in need of loving homes with the care that they need. Every year, there are 18,000 domestic infant adoptions in the USA alone.  This statistic does not even take into account children that are adopted when they are older, or those who are adopted internationally.

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As you can see, the demand for adoption is massive. There are a huge number of parents who are unable to take care of their children and who put them up for adoption to give those children the best possible start in life. There are also children who are put up for adoption by the government in order to protect them from abuse, and children who are orphaned and who need adoptive parents at a later stage. The adoptive parents can take pride in knowing that they are giving their children the best possible start in life.

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Some parents choose to adopt because they cannot have children of their own, some choose to adopt simply because they would rather take in a child in need instead of bringing another life into the world. No one reason is more valid than another. The important thing is that taking in a child is something that is done willingly, and with love and an understanding of the commitment that is being entered into.

Common Misconceptions

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There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding adoption. One of the biggest is that it is hard to find a child to adopt. There are actually more than 100,000 children in foster care in the United States that are waiting for someone to adopt them.

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It does take a long time to complete the adoption process, but that does not mean that it is easier to adopt internationally than it is to adopt from within the USA. In 2011, 51,000 children were adopted through US foster care, while fewer than 10,000 were adopted by US parents from international adoption agencies. It is becoming increasingly difficult for parents to adopt internationally because the US government has introduced new regulations to protect parents