Adoption: Frequently Asked Questions
I've decided I want to adopt. Now what do I do?
The first step in most adoptions is a home study (now known as a Family Assessment). Families and individuals must be approved through the Family Assessment process before a child can be placed in their home for adoption. The Family Assessment consists of a series of meetings between the prospective adoptive family and a social worker. It provides an opportunity for the family to learn more about adoption, and to seriously consider their motivations and expectations for adopting.
In Michigan, Family Assessments are conducted by an adoption agency. If you are a foster parent, the agency you are currently working with may be able to conduct the study if they are also licensed for adoptions. There is usually no fee for the Family Assessment provided by the Family Independence Agency or private contract agency when you are adopting a "special needs" child, or a permanent court or state ward. However, there may be minimal fees to cover the costs of filing petitions in court when the time comes to adopt. The Family Assessment process usually takes anywhere from three to six months and typically consists of a number of meetings at the agency as well as personal interviews conducted by a social worker in your home. The study generally includes the following:
- Personal History - A comprehensive history and assessment of your current family life and past experiences affecting your capacity to parent an adoptive child is developed. The social worker will be attempting to understand how a child would fit within your family and determine what type of child might do best in your home. You will be asked questions about your family of origin, your educational level, your feelings about education for your children, your employment status and your future plans. If you're married there will be questions about your marriage such as how you met, home long you've been married, the strengths and weaknesses of your spouse, how you make decisions, etc. If you are single there will probably be questions about your social life and how you anticipate integrating a child into it. Other questions might address your daily routines, your experience with children, your neighborhood, your friends, and your religious practices, if any. Children living in the home are also interviewed (depending on their age and level of understanding) regarding their feelings about an addition to their family and what adoption means to them. Additionally, if there are other adults in the home (parents, aunts, cousins, live-together partners), they will also be interviewed extensively.
- Health Statements - Your medical history, a recent physical (within one year). A medical condition that is under control (high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) usually would not prevent a person being approved to adopt; however, a serious health problem that affects life expectancy may prevent approval.
- Criminal Background Check - You will need to complete a form that the social worker sends off for a state police check and Protective Service clearance. Some counties may also require local police clearances, as well.
- Income Statement - You will be asked to verify your income by providing a copy of an income tax form, a paycheck stub, or a W-2 form. Bank statements and insurance policies may also be requested. You do not have to be wealthy to adopt. Even if you receive some type of financial assistance, you are still eligible to adopt as long as you have adequate resources to provide for your family. Financial assistance in the form of a support subsidy is available when adopting many of the children listed on MARE (Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange).
- Personal References - You will be asked to provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three unrelated individuals who can attest to your experience with children, the stability of your marriage and/or household, and your motivation to adopt.
Do I have to be married to adopt?
No, you don't have to be married to adopt a child or children. Being a single parent is perfectly acceptable. Also, you don't have to own your own home to adopt a child. A rented house or apartment is fine, as long as there is adequate bedroom space per child. The home must be free from health and fire hazards, and must have a safe play area for children.
I'm really most interested in adopting an infant. I don't understand why it takes so long!
In Michigan, the "waiting for an infant" list currently runs between three and five years if you're interested in adopting a perfectly healthy Caucasian child under the age of one. And Michigan is not unique; most other states also have a years-long waiting list for infants, too. It is estimated that each year there are 25,000 infants available for adoption -- and one million families waiting for those infants. One alternative to the long wait and high cost of adopting an infant is adopting a "special needs" child.
What does "special needs" mean?
"Special needs" does not necessarily mean the child has any handicaps. In general terms, it refers to a child or children than may be harder to place than a healthy infant. In fact, a special needs child is under 18, and falls into one or more of the following categories:
- Children who may have emotional, mental, learning, or physical impairments;
- Children who are part of a sibling group that must be placed together;
- Children of minority heritage; and/or
- Children over the age of five.
Many waiting children have had traumatic past experiences that may include physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and/or severe neglect. Others may have been born drug or alcohol exposed.
What's the difference in the adoption processes for an infant versus a special needs child?
A prospective family interested in adopting an infant can expect to wait anywhere from two to five years before a baby becomes available, and can expect to pay thousands of dollars in fees and expenses. On the other hand, a family interested in adopting a special needs child won't have to wait nearly as long, depending on what type of child they're hoping to adopt -- in fact, it could be a matter of months before a child is placed in the home. The costs associated with special needs adoptions are far less, as well; depending on the agency, the adoption and Family Assessment process could be virtually free because many costs associated with special needs adoptions are underwritten by the state.
What adoption agency should I work with? How do I choose an agency?
There are a number of public (Family Independence Agency) and private adoption agencies around the state that can work with you.
When you initially call an adoption agency, feel free to ask them questions about the length of time their Family Assessment process might take, approximately how much the process will cost (especially if you're interested in a special needs child), etc. Feel free to call several agencies and ask them the same kinds of questions before making a final decision.
Will becoming a foster parent help me adopt a child?
Not necessarily. It depends on the circumstances that develop as efforts are made to reunite birth parents and children.
Foster care is always initially considered to be temporary. At times, however, parental rights may be terminated, and at that point children become wards of the state and are eligible for adoption. Once parental rights are terminated, blood relatives and foster parents are given the first chance at adoption (if the child has been in placement with that foster family for one year or more).
But because foster care is considered to be a temporary measure, it is not advisable to become a foster parent with the expectation that you'll be able to adopt any child placed in your care. A foster parent is expected to work cooperatively with the agency and birth parents toward reunification until a decision is made that reunification will not occur. A foster parent must be objective, and must be able to let go of a child if and when it comes time for that child to leave the foster home.
This information was gathered from the MARE (Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange) web site. http://www.mare.org
Written with permissions.
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