The different types of adoption include agency, private, foster care, facilitator, intrastate, interstate, open, closed, domestic and international, and step-parent. Understanding the types of child adoption, and how they are different, can help you in making your adoption dreams come true.
We are a non-profit adoption agency that helps birth parents and families living in any state in the U.S. Since our founding in 1985, we have worked with thousands of birth parents and adopting families and have completed over 900 successful placements.
Feel free to contact us or call (toll-free 1(800)943-0400) if you have any questions or if you want our guidance or help.
Agency and Private Child Adoption
An agency adoption and a private adoption, if successful, both end with the fulfillment of a dream, that of adopting a child. However, the route to get there can be very different and the risks involved in each are also different. Please read this section on Agency and Private Child Adoption.
Foster Care Adoption
There are literally thousands of children in foster care throughout the U.S. who are in need of families to live with and families to adopt them. Foster care adoption through a state or local foster care program is an excellent option for many people.
Facilitator Adoption
An adoption facilitator may help coordinate or arrange an adoption by “matching” a birth mother with prospective adoptive parents. If they are not paid, there is no problem but if they are paid it is another story. Using an adoption facilitator is very different from using a licensed adoption agency or licensed adoption attorney.
Intrastate and Interstate Child Adoption
The distinction between intrastate and interstate child adoption is very important since each type of adoption means a different set of legal requirements. An intrastate adoption must meet the requirements of only one state while an interstate adoption must meet the requirements of at least two states as well as the Interstate Compact Act.
Open and Closed Child Adoption
All too often adopting families and birth parents limit the type of adoption they want without really understanding the differences between an open adoption and closed adoption. Whether an adoption is open or closed will depend on what you want, what the birth mother and birth father request, what your state allows, and what agency you select.
Adoption Requirements
As an adopting family your goal is to adopt a child. To do this you will need to find a potential placement where your adoption requirements or restrictions and the restrictions of the birth parents, the state and federal governments, and the child adoption agency are all consistent with each other.
Home Study
A Home Study is required in almost adoption that does not involve a close blood relative. Accordingly, the Home Study is of critical importance to you and your plans.
Selecting an Agency
Selecting the child adoption agency you will work with is one of the critical early decisions. You need to see if the agency fits with your needs and desires. We suggest you consider some of the questions and issues addressed on this link in evaluating the agency.
Domestic Adoption Agencies
On this domestic adoption agencies link you will find information about us, about adoption agencies in all 50 states, and also about the risks involved in not using a licensed child adoption agency.
Obtaining Birth and Adoption Records and Searching for a Child and/or Birth Parent
We strongly advise you to get your adopted child's original birth records and adoption records. These resources may help you. You may also want to check the laws of the state in which your child was born and the state in which the child adoption was, or will be, finalized.
We Help Adopting Persons Living in Any State
We are licensed in multiple states and are able to help a birth mother, birth father, and adopting family living in any of the 50 U.S. states