Resources for Hopeful Adoptive Parents
Resources For Hopeful Adoptive Parents
At each stage of the adoption journey, you need different partners to help you during that step. The partners you will need will also vary based on how you are matching. For simplicity, I will share these in the order you will need them in the adoption process. I will also discuss what type of matching will need these different types of adoption partners to help hopeful adoptive parents the most in their adoption journey.
Step 1: An Adoption Coach
An Adoption Coach is designed to answer the questions you have regarding the process and guide you throughout the process.
Step 2: Home Study
A home study provider is a licensed social worker that will help you become an approved waiting adoptive family. A licensed social worker is a home study provider who will help you become an approved waiting adoptive family. In a home study, they are checking your background, ensuring your home is safe, and conducting interviews with everyone over the age of 18 living in your home. You will need these no matter your method of matching, but if you are matching via an agency, attorney, or consultant, they will have preferred vendors you are required to work with. If you are self-matching, you would find one on your own.
Currently, I only have a relationship with Steffany at Adoption and Beyond, which serves KS, MO. If you are looking for a home study provider in another state, your best bet is to google and then ask in the Facebook group if anyone has experience with them.
Step 3: Adoption Profile
This is one of the most important parts of your adoption journey, and I can help you. Sign up here for the free guide. If you are matching with an agency, attorney, or consultant, they may have a process you need to follow, but you need my help to create a high-quality version in their format. You can sign up for my profile resources here. If you are self-matching, you need to learn the what and the how behind creating and sharing your profile specifically for self-matching. You can sign up for my profile resources here.
Step 4: Match
You will either leverage an agency, attorney, or consultant and if you are self-matching, you can use a coach. You can sign up here to learn more about self-matching.
To help you match:
Agency: Look for one that offers a risk-sharing policy, which means if the expectant parents change their mind, they protect your investment and apply it towards the next opportunity. Find a few agencies you like and ask about them in the Facebook group.
Attorney: Some will match you with expectant parents. Look for one that specializes in adoption. This is a great site: https://adoptionart.org/.
Consultant: Same as agency; look for one that offers a risk-sharing policy; if the expectant parents change their mind, they protect your investment and apply it towards the next opportunity. Find a few you like and ask about them in the Facebook group.
Self-Matching Coach: Me! I can teach you how to do that, and you can sign up for that series here.
Step 4: Supporting your birth parents
Counseling will help ensure your expectant/birth parents are supported throughout the journey
One way to support your expectant parents is through Birth Parent Counseling. Some organizations specialize in consulting services for birth parents that can be a great support at all stages of the adoption journey for expectant/birth parents.
Step 5: Legal
An adoption-specific attorney is best. You can check here for one near you https://adoptionart.org/
You will need an attorney to help you make the adoption legal. If you are self-matching, you will need one to help you make it legal; look at the 4A’s site https://adoptionart.org/ If you are matching via an agency, attorney or consultant, they will provide one for you.
I hope you found learning more about the different stages of the adoption process helpful. Most importantly friend, I want to remind you that you are not alone. If you have any questions about any of the resources mentioned or any stages of the process, join my Facebook Group and get the support you deserve.
Hi, I Am Amanda
I am an adoption profile expert on a mission to help you create and share your family's story more affordably!
