The 4 Types of Adoption
As I began my adoption journey, I learned very quickly that there were multiple ways I could adopt children. Let’s just say all routes aren’t created equally, Lol. Keep reading.
The 4 Major types of adoption are:
- Adoption via Foster Care
- International Adoption
- Private Adoption
- Kinship Adoption
You’re already a step closer just by knowing your options. You’re doing great. Let’s discuss this further below !
Adoption via Foster Care
This just means your selection of children will come from your state’s foster care system.
This is the route I’m taking mainly for financial reasons. There are minimal costs associated with adoption thru foster care. You won’t run into outrageous attorney’s fees or agency fees because the state covers those expenses. Plus, healthcare, education, daycare, and other expenses for the child are covered by the state until your adoption is finalized. Even post adoption, some of that assistance will remain until the child is grown depending on the child’s situation. As a single parent looking to adopt at least 2 children, those resources will be very helpful.
Let me be clear. Anyone who has gone through training to become a foster parent will tell you that the goal of foster care is reunification with birth parents. That fact is ingrained in us from day one. The only way to adopt from the foster care system is by TPR (termination of parental rights), which is sanctioned by a judge. This means that the child’s birth parents have either relinquished their parental rights or that a judge has terminated those rights. Once TPR is in place, these children are free for adoption. These are the kids you see on the Wednesday’s Child news clips. These kids are affectionately referred to as “waiting children”. These are the children I want.
Until they are adopted, these children remain wards of the state, and they typically live in foster homes or group homes until they are adopted or age out of the system at age 18. We will definitely revisit this topic in a later post…because it’s a huge deal!
International Adoption
International adoption is a popular choice for some adoptive families. Much like private adoption, international adoption is very expensive costing roughly $20,000-$40,000 or more. The amount of expense depends on the country and the agency.
Additionally, international adoption requires insurmountable paper work and government clearances that must be processed to successfully adopt a child from another country. This process can take anywhere from 1 to 3 years, sometimes longer.
Undoubtably, international adoption is expensive with a long waiting period. Not to mention there are so many children in America that need a home. Some people have asked me why people choose to adopt internationally given these circumstances. Here are some reasons why international adoption is still attractive to some families:
- No contact with birth family for those looking for a closed adoption
- Some people desire a multicultural family
- Many adoptive parents have a personal attachment with a certain country after visiting or doing mission work
- These parents just have a heart for impoverished orphans from poor countries
America definitely has its fair share of children in need of adoption. However, the American child welfare system is way more efficient at caring for adoptees than most other countries. In America, each state has an agency in place to provide foster care and group homes to these children while issuing monthly stipends to their caregivers. Plus, the states take care of the healthcare, education, and childcare for its foster children.
Sadly, this is not the case in many other countries. When the parents cannot care for the children in much poorer countries, the government may lack the resources to provide the child everything they need to survive. These children get the bare minimum of care, often go hungry, suffer malnourishment, and lack parental guidance. Orphanages may be extinct in America, but they are very much present in many countries around the world. For these reasons, many American families will forego the American foster care system and opt to adopt internationally.
Presently, there are over 140 million orphans worldwide. America only has 400,000+ foster children at any given time. Out of that 400,000, only 100,000+ children are eligible for adoption. The rest are fosters that could be reunited with their bio parents at any time. These numbers are all staggering, but the numbers outside of the U.S. are even more alarming.
The world has an orphan crisis that speaks loudly to many adoptive parents and draws them across continents just to care for a child who would otherwise remain parentless if not for international intervention. My guess is that more adoptive parents would adopt internationally if it weren’t for the heavy expenses. I know I would.
Private Adoption
Private adoption (domestic) is using a private agency to locate a child anywhere in the country that fits the description of the child you want. The pros of this kind of adoption are that it allows adoptive parents to get the age, gender, race, etc of the child they want. All the administrative tasks are performed by the agency. This is a popular option for people who want infants.
It often takes years for a judge to issue TPR to birth parents in the foster care system, thus most infants in foster care are not available for adoption. By the time they are, they’re much older than infancy. However, the demand for babies is high in the adoption community, and people who want them will pay upwards of $30,000 and more to get one. For those reasons, private adoption is an attractive route for many families who can afford it.
Additionally, the wait time through private agency can be shorter or longer than other adoptions. I’ve heard of people getting immediate placement because a birth mother chose them right away, and I’ve heard of people waiting for years to be chosen by a birth mom. Also, some agencies are more proficient at placing babies than others. Adoptive parents seeking private adoption would do well to perform thorough research, find trusted reviews, and seek high accredidations of any agency they employ.
Kinship Adoption
Kinship adoption is when you adopt a family member. This is a popular adoption for many people who cannot care for their children but have family members willing to step in and assume the responsibilities of caring for the child.
Kinship adoption can also be done for the sake of benefits. For instance, a grandparent with outstanding benefits on his/her job can adopt a grandchild so the child can receive those benefits. Yet, primary custody can remain with the birth parent.
A step parent adopting a stepchild is another example of kinship adoption. This adoption often works well because the children are usually being adopted by loved ones they already know and trust, which often makes for a smooth transition.
Final Thoughts:
I hope this info was helpful. Personally, I think adoption by any of these methods is beautiful. There is no right or wrong way. One method is not better than another. Every adoptive parent must do their research and choose the option best suited for them and their family.
Leave me a comment below and tell me how you and you family will be adopting. If you’ve already adopted, which route did you take ?
Thanks for reading… See you in the next post !
There are so many children due to no fault of their own is waiting for someone to rescue and love them. this is a great platform to help those children who would love to have a home and parents or parent to love and care for them.