Blog// LGBT Adoption

7 Quick Facts about Domestic Adoption

Children are blessings to families. Unfortunately, not all couples are blessed with the ability to have them by natural means. Understandably, it can be a long process until a couple finally accepts and decides their next steps forward. Domestic adoption is just one of the options that couples turn to. If the couple decides to adopt a baby within the United States, they need to make sure they understand what domestic adoption can bring into their life.

Here are a few quick facts about domestic adoption in hopes of enlightening couples who are thinking about adopting a baby:

  • According to statistics, if one in every three churches in the United States adopted a child, every child in need of a family in the United States would be adopted. So imagine how your decision to adopt can make a difference. You are creating a family and helping uplift the society.
  • Domestic adoption is not new and is widely accepted by the society. Around 18,000 domestic newborn babies are being placed for adoption every year. Statistics show there are close to 100 million Americans whose families have been touched by adoption, whether it be they are the ones adopting, they were the ones who placed, or they were the ones who were adopted.
  • It is a common misconception that domestic adoption can be more costly than international adoption. The reality is the cost of either type of adoption can vary drastically depending on a number of factors. For some families, domestic adoption can cost about the same, if not significantly less, than international adoption. (Couples may also need to factor in the living expenses for the birthing mother like rent and/or utility payments.)
  • Couples pursuing a domestic adoption should be ready to travel to where the birthmother lives and stay there until after the baby is born and released from the hospital. In addition, for those babies born outside of the adoptive family’s state, an Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) approval needs to be secured before the new family can leave. The approval is normally released within seven to 10 working days.
  • There is a misconception that domestic adoption takes an incredibly long time. While some families do end up waiting up to two years or more, around 75% of families successfully adopt a baby within one two twelve months. The wait time factors of domestic adoption include the adoption professional’s advertising efforts, the availability of birthmothers, and the flexibility of the adoptive parents’ with regard to their adoption plan. An adoption plan includes their consideration of the race of the baby, whether they want an open adoption or a closed adoption, medical background of the birthparents, budget, and more. Note that the stricter their options are, the harder and longer it will likely be for them to adopt a baby.
  • Part of what you’ll need to consider when it comes to adoption plans is the medical background of the child. One positive aspect of domestic adoption is that your baby’s medical records will be more available and accessible. Some adoption agencies even provide the records to the adopting families before the connection is done so the couples can gauge whether or not they can accept the connection based on the factors provided to them.
  • Have you ever heard about birthparents coming after their child following a domestic adoption? Although this is a fear of many, these are just extreme cases and are usually the result of flawed legal practices. After you’ve completed all the paperwork to legally adopt a baby in the United States and the adoption is finalized, the birthparents’ parental rights are terminated the law acknowledges the adoptive parents as the baby’s legal family.

Adopting a baby is a life-altering decision, so it’s important to know everything possible about the adoption process and the option you choose. Consult other members of your family to help you digest and understand all the information.

If you’re interested in domestic adoption to grow your family, the caring staff at LifeLong Adoptions can help you get started on your journey! Give us a call today at 877-Angel55 or complete our free online adoption application.

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