The Domestic Adoption Process
Gathering information is the starting point in the adoption process. Learn about adoption in general. Consider whether you want an international or domestic adoption. Talk with people about their adoption experiences. Visit adoption agency websites. Call different agencies to see what services they offer and what fees they charge. Think about the comfort level you have with the different agencies. Then, choose an agency where you feel valued and respected. You are going to be working closely with the adoption agency, so you want to select one that feels right for you.
If you are considering adoption and have questions, you are welcome to call Adoption Bridges of Kentucky at (502) 585-4369. We will be pleased to send you some additional information. You can visit us on Facebook and watch our video on YouTube. You are welcome to e-mail us at lindadavis@adoptionbridgesofkentucky.org.
Adoption Bridges of Kentucky’s full services domestic adoption process is detailed below.
Consultation
If you would like to know more about Adoption Bridges of Kentucky or have decided to use our services, please schedule a consultation with the Executive Director. During the consultation, you will learn more about our agency, the adoption process, and the risks involved. You will leave the consultation with an application packet and a good idea of what to expect from us.
Application
After the consultation, if you want to move forward with the adoption process, you should complete the agency and state-required paperwork contained in the application packet. You will be asked to provide information about your family, relationships, education, employment, finances, and interests. You will be required to submit background checks for child abuse and neglect, criminal history, and court records. Once we receive your finished paperwork, we will send you a formal letter that describes the risks associated with adoption. We ask you to review this letter with your attorney. When you return the signed letter to us, we will contact you about setting up a time to conduct your home study.
The Home Study
The home study is an opportunity for our staff to get to know you and visit your home. It is not something for you to worry about. You will have a checklist that tells what the state requires in a home study. When your home study is approved, you will receive a formal letter. If there are any problems that prevent approval, we will talk with you about them and see if they can be resolved. Although it is rare, there are times when a home cannot be approved for adoption. We would advise you of the reasons for denial.
If you have a current home study from another agency or the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, we are glad to accept it. However, the Office of the Inspector General requires that our agency visit your home and update an existing home study.
Home studies are valid for one year. You must obtain new background checks and have your home study updated after one year if you are in the midst of an adoption.
Adoption Preparation
Adoption Bridges of Kentucky conducts an Orientation and Training (O&T) to provide information that all adoptive parents must know, as required by state regulations. Adoptive parents must have 24 hours of pre-approved training to become certified as foster parents for the baby they are adopting and to take the baby home from the hospital.
Support Groups
After you have completed orientation and training, you may attend a monthly support group in your area. These groups are facilitated by our counselors and offer the opportunity to meet other adoptive parents and get helpful tips for a successful adoption experience. Attending these groups for a total of nine hours will help you fulfill the required training hours. There is no additional charge for the support groups. If you find support groups beneficial, you may continue to participate in group after you complete the required hours. We have a number of adoptive parents who attend group through the finalization of their adoption.
Adoptive Parent Profile
During the consultation, you will be provided with information about how to create an adoption profile. You will see some profiles of adoptive parents who have successfully adopted a baby. The pictures in your profile give our birthparents a glimpse of your life and the loving home you have to offer a child. While our agency does not develop profiles, we will give you some information on resources where you can create your own profile or have a service to do it.
Adoptive Parent Program
Throughout the adoption experience, our agency provides counseling and advocacy for adoptive parents. Our staff will be available to answer your questions and guide you through the adoption process. We will make sure that your profile is shown appropriately according to your preferences for a child. We will help you through every aspect of the adoption process.
When You Are Matched
Birthmothers generally choose adoptive parents for their babies after viewing the profiles. When a birthmother chooses your profile, we will notify you as soon as possible. Only rarely does a birth mother prefer that the agency select the adoptive parents. No matter how you are chosen, we will provide you with as much information about the birth mother and the baby as we have. Identifying information about the birth mother, such as her last name, address and social security number, will be blacked out. You may choose to accept the case or not. If you do accept the situation, you will provide funds for the birth mother’s pregnancy expenses, legal costs, and counseling services. If you decline the case, the agency will continue to show your profile.
Meeting the Birth Parents
Most birth mothers want to meet the adoptive parents they have chosen to raise their child. The birth mother counselor will arrange this meeting and be there to facilitate conversation and help put everyone at ease. Very often this meeting is held in a restaurant and discussion takes place over a meal. One of the issues you will talk about is how much, how often, and what kind of contact you and the birth mother want to have.
At the Hospital
With the assistance of their counselors, birth mothers make a plan for how to proceed when they go to the hospital to deliver the baby. The plan will address issues such as when they would like the adoptive parents to be at the hospital, who they would like to be present when the baby is delivered, how much time they will spend with the baby, and how much care they want the adoptive parents to give the baby. While no two adoption situations and hospital experiences are exactly alike, you should be prepared to spend a good deal of time at the hospital when the baby is born.
Post Placement Visits
After the child is placed with you, one of our agency workers will visit with you once a month until the adoption is finalized. As required by the state, written detailed post-placement reports and the baby’s medical records become part of the adoption file.
Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) and Finalization
After the baby has been placed in your home, our staff will continue to work with you through the birth parent(s)’ termination of parental rights and the court process that will finalize your adoption. The termination of parental rights is a legal process between the birth parent(s)’ and the court. You do not attend this hearing. However, you do go to the finalization hearing, as it is a legal process between you, the baby, and the court. Our agency submits a comprehensive written report to the court advocating your adoption of the baby.
Forms
Visit our Forms page to download and print forms to help you get started in the adoption process.Adoptive Parent Profiles
Visit our Parents Profiles page to read about some of our prospective adoptive parents.