My Steps to Adoption
So, I began the adoption process in April or May of 2020. Below are the general steps I took to complete my adoption, which took about 7 or 8 months in total. Using the bullet points below, I am definitely summarizing my experience because I don’t want you to get discouraged or overwhelmed with too many details. I am adopting thru foster care. Depending on which adoption route you take, your steps could be shorter or longer. Either way, I believe you’ll find similarities between my process and whichever process you decide to take. I will blog about a lot of these steps in upcoming posts so you’ll get an understanding of what is expected of you. Just know the overall path of adoption is intense and consuming but worth every effort. Keep reading.
Each step listed below was accompanied by paperwork. There was even paperwork submitted in between each step, LOL. Some of the documents were mailed, some faxed, and some were uploaded to an online portal. Because of COVID, none of the paperwork was delivered in person or dropped off to an office. Just about everyone that assisted me was working from home or a closed office, so get ready to do a lot of scanning and uploading.
On another note, it’s important to note that I began with DFCS, which is the governing child welfare authority in my state. (To find yours, visit the Adoption Resources tab of this website and find your state.) After calling DFCS and starting the process with them, I experienced a lot of delays in correspondence. I’d send an email and have to wait several days for a response. There was just a lot of lag time in between returned calls and emails. I was patient and understanding, but I did mention it to my caseworker one day. She totally understood and was aware of the issue. She actually informed me that DFCS was enduring a huge employee turnover. People were either resigning or getting laid off due to COVID. They just didn’t have enough staff to keep up with the demand and manage all the bureaucracy that comes with each case.
She welcomed me to stay with DFCS but did tell me going with a private affiliate agency would speed up my process and give me more access to people who could answer questions and guide me through the steps with more efficiency than DFCS could at the time. I called the agency she provided, and they were more than happy to take on my case. I did have to repeat some of the initial paperwork because I was switching agencies, but it was still early in the process and turned out to be no big deal.
Lastly, go ahead and browse over the steps below, but don’t get overwhelmed. Take it one step at a time. As for the paperwork, it would be helpful to download a scanner app on your phone. I used SIMPLE SCANNER. It’s free and easy to use. Again, your agency may have more or less requirements, so your steps may not look exactly like mine. This was just my path, now it’s time to find yours !
Began April or May 2020
- I called DFCS (State of Georgia)
- Completed an online orientation
- Submitted Application
- Had virtual home inspection with DFCS
- CPR certification
- I believe this is the step where I switched agencies from DFCS to a FREE private agency.
- Resubmission of an application
- Online Orientation with new agency
- References
- IMPACT Training (usually 4-6 weeks)
- PaperWork, Paper Work & More Paper Work!!!
- Fingerprint Testing & Formal Background Check
- Medical Clearance & Drug Test
- Water Safety Certification
- HomeStudy (This is a BIG DEAL)
- Licensing & Certification
Licensed Jan 19, 2021
So, that’s the short of it… LOL ! If I can do it, you can as well. Now that I’m licensed, I am currently in the matching phase. Because I only want children who are free for adoption under age 6, I am in a slight waiting period. I could have a placement in a month or in a year. It’s a waiting game, but I’m okay with that.
In the meantime, I’m staying on top of my continuing education hours. Yep, it never ends..hehehe. I’m also here to encourage you and others to embark on your adoption journeys, and I’ll help any way I can. I will talk more about these processes in later posts, but next time we’re going to discuss health and weight loss. That’s another part of my blog that I want to introduce because I will be blogging about my health journey throughout this blog. We’ll talk about how that relates to adoption. Can’t wait to share. See you next post !
Thank you for allowing us to be apart of this amazing journey with you.
We are so grateful for your transparency and thoughtfulness. May blessings meet you at every step of your path.