May 20, 2018
When you hear people talk about the adoption process, it can sound like a daunting experience. There are home study visits, paperwork to compile, and interviews to conduct. Your adoption agency will request background checks and fingerprinting. The entire process can feel overwhelming and impossible. For families who are just getting ready to start the process of adopting, there’s good news: the adoption process doesn’t have to be so intimidating.
Preparing for the process can help things to go much smoother once you officially get started. This is the key to having a successful process that doesn’t feel burdensome. Follow these expert tips to help you move through the early stages of your adoption with greater ease.
Photocopy all important documents.
One of the first things that your adoption agency is likely to ask for is a copy of your important documents. Most people have copies of all their personal paperwork, but you need to make sure to order copies if you don’t. Go ahead and make a copy of these papers so they are available when you need them. You can even scan them into the computer so they will be easy to email off to your worker at the right time.
Keep in mind that you will need paperwork for all of your family members, including any children in the home. Here are a few of the most commonly requested documents that your social worker will need:
Birth certificates
Social security cards
Driver’s licenses
Marriage certificates (if applicable)
Divorce decrees (if applicable)
Immunization records
Report cards for children
Take your pets to the veterinarian.
Most states do require you to keep your pet’s vaccines up to date. A social worker will need to see copies of their most recent vaccinations to prove that they have had their rabies shots. Many pet owners tend to allow these vaccines to lapse over the course of the year, so it might be a great time to get your furry friends healthy too. Be sure to ask your veterinarian about the three-year rabies vaccine. The adoption process can sometimes be very long, so this could prevent you from needing to update your paperwork annually.
Childproof your home.
Depending on your adoption agency, they might require that you childproof the home before your home study visits. This allows them to determine whether your house is safe for the child. Be sure to ask them in advance if this is something they will look for. You can go ahead and install outlet covers, cabinet locks, and the other child-safety items that you will need once the child comes home. Also be sure to have working smoke detectors in the general living areas as well as the bedroom areas.
Schedule a doctor’s appointment.
Many adoption agencies require you to have a current physical before they can approve your family for adoption. Ask them for a copy of their physical form early in the process so that you can go ahead and make a doctor’s appointment for everyone in the home. This will include children. For large families, scheduling six doctor’s appointments or more can definitely take some time. Doctors may not have appointments available on the same day or at times that are convenient for you. It’s best to go ahead and take care of this item before you get too far into the adoption process.
Read the books.
You want to be educated on the intimate details of adoption before your child comes home. After all, will you really have time to read books with a brand-new child in the bedroom down the hall? Ask for a list of books that your adoption agency recommends or requires you to read. This is a great time to head to the local bookstore and pick up copies. The sooner you can read these books, the sooner you’re reading and education requirement will be complete. You will also be in a much better position to ask thoughtful questions of your social worker and agency if you are better educated.
Apply for grants.
It’s no secret that private adoptions can be expensive sometimes. Agency fees really add up, but there are some ways to offset the cost. Start researching, which grants your family, would qualify for. You can make one long list of companies and organizations that have grant money for qualifying families. Many of them won’t allow you to apply until you have a completed home study, but the research and application portion could already be finished and waiting for submission.
Research providers for your new child.
When your new child arrives, you need to know exactly where you plan to take them. Will they be going to the pediatrician down the street? Maybe you need to find a new daycare that’s closer to home for your new bundle of joy. No matter where they need to go, you should already have a plan in place for how it is going to be handled. If you need to, this is a great time to tour new facilities and interview the professionals who would be working with your child.
Find support.
Adoption agencies often want to see that you have some support for your decision to adopt a child. This is an excellent time to seek out local support groups or parents’ meetings for adoptive families. Look for groups sponsored by the adoption agency, local churches, and other organizations that frequently get involved with adoption and foster care. This is a great place to build new friendships and a safe space for your future child to find others who are in a similar situation.
Many families are so intimidated by the adoption process that they delay starting for years. However, you can prepare for everything that is coming your way with some of these expert tips. They can help you to get organized and cross some of the more time-consuming components off your list of things you need to do. Being prepared for the process is key to erasing that feeling of being overwhelmed. Start gathering up your paperwork and making phone calls today so that your dreams of adoption can become a reality.
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