» Types of Adoption

Prospective adoptive parents have many adoption options. The way you choose to adopt will depend on what is important to your family.

Adopting a Foster Child
The largest number of adoptions, by far, take place between foster parents and their foster children. Going from the insecurity of foster care to the permanency of adoption can be extremely important to a child's emotional well-being.

The family considering a foster adoption should be aware that some things will be different as an adoptive family. Financial assistance payments and medical assistance should continue, but you will probably need to negotiate to secure other benefits, such as therapy or special medical equipment, and some may not be available. A written adoption assistance agreement, in place well before finalization, is the best plan.

Subsidies and medical assistance will end at age eighteen for adopted children; for foster children they continue until age 21 under some circumstances. You'll want to explore what other kinds of post-adoption support are available through your agency or community organizations, which may be different from the supports available to foster families.

Adopting a School-aged Child
Whether you are a family with a stay-at-home parent, a single parent, or a couple who both work outside of the home, adopting a school-aged child may be a good plan. It can be an excellent choice for parents who have already begun their families and don't want to start all over with diapers and sleepless nights. Families interested in adopting school-aged children domestically will find that many Caucasian, African American, and Latino children, both boys and girls, are waiting in the care of public agencies. Deciding to adopt a school-aged child instead of a younger one may make it much easier to find an agency to work with you.

School-aged children are also a possibility for families choosing to adopt internationally. You will want to gather as much information as you can about your child's care during the early years, and developmental milestones. You may want to read about reactive attachment disorder, and other emotional disabilities which may occur among children who have been institutionalized.

Workers who place school-aged children are especially welcoming to folks with parenting experience, or other experience with children. People over 40 and non-traditional families may receive a warm reception. Agencies seek prospective parents who have had enough life experience to be able to deal with adversity, and who are looking to meet a child's needs, instead of looking for the child who meets their needs. Families adopting school-aged children should be persistent in requesting all available background information, and prepared to help heal some emotional scars, through therapy if necessary.

Adopting a Pre-schooler or Toddler
Since public agencies usually place school-aged children, and private agencies place newborn infants, where do you locate a child to adopt who is no longer an infant but still under school age? Some public agencies do have young children in their care, even though they may not be the children that agency presents in the local newspaper or on the Internet. If you think you may be the right family for a toddler or pre-schooler, it is worth exploring this with your public agency, especially if you are seeking a child from a minority culture. If your county or local public agency has no young children waiting, check the listings from other parts of the state or country.

Public agencies who do not have young children in need of adoption usually have some in need of foster care. In this case, a foster-adopt program may be the answer. Other families find they can open their hearts to a sibling group which includes both younger and older children, or to a young child with a higher level of special needs.

For families considering international adoption, toddlers are frequently available from a wide variety of countries.

Adopting a Teenager
Many people are surprised to learn that teenagers are waiting to be adopted in the U.S. Most are in the care of public agencies and in the foster care system. These youngsters need families, not only to guide them through the difficult transition to adulthood, but also to provide permanent family connections throughout their lives.

Workers look for adults who have some experience with young people, which may be more important than having experience with or knowledge of adoption. Singles often work out very well. Adaptability, patience, perseverance, and a good sense of humor are all qualities that will serve you well. The adoption of a teenager does not involve high fees for the adoptive family, and financial and medical assistance continue through age 18, or 21 if the youngster is still in school. Teenagers, like all the other parties involved, must consent to their own adoption.

Adopting Siblings
Brothers and sisters of all ages wait to be adopted in the U.S. Some families, who know they want more than one child, choose to adopt siblings rather than have to go through the adoption process again. Most sibling groups are two children, but families of three, four, and more children have been adopted together. Parents with experience living in a large family are a good choice for large sibling groups. Most children's social workers will work hard to find siblings a home together.

Of course you'll need to have space in your home for the children. However, children of the same gender can share bedrooms. You may encounter special challenges. For example, when children have been in care for some time, the oldest child often takes on the role of a parent, and may need extra understanding and support to let go of that role. Sibling relationships are significant, lifelong relationships, and the support of a family in maintaining them is invaluable.

Adopting a Child with Physical Disabilities.
Waiting U.S. children of all ages may have physical disabilities, which can be mild, moderate, or severe. However, very young children who wait (pre-schoolers, toddlers, or infants) often do so because of a physical disability, while older children's disabilities are more likely to be emotional or learning problems.

You may want to read about different disabilities as you consider whether this is right for your family. Some familiarity with the particular disability, perhaps through a family member, is always a plus. A background in nursing or another medical field can also be helpful. It is important to be sure that your community has the appropriate medical facilities, and to sharpen your advocacy skills to ensure that your child has access to those facilities.

Many U.S. waiting children have experienced difficulties in their lives, such as abuse, neglect, multiple placements, separations, and losses. These experiences can result in behavior problems or acting out behavior. Many children have learning disabilities or mental challenges as a result of prenatal drug or alcohol exposure. A high percentage of waiting children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is often treated with daily medication.

If you have experience with these kinds of disabilities, perhaps because of your work, extended family, or foster parenting, you will probably be seen as a good resource for such a child. Patience and consistency are among the personal qualities needed, along with the ability to seek and accept help when necessary. You should be comfortable having a family member who may not be a high academic achiever. You should be prepared to advocate for your child to insure that educational needs are met appropriately.

Adopting a Child of a Minority Race
Native American waiting children are under the protection of the Indian Child Welfare Act, which safeguards their right to be raised by a Native American family, if at all possible. If your heritage is Native American, you may be asked by the Tribal Court to provide identification of your affiliation to a tribe.

African Americans and Latinos, both minorities in the United States population, are overrepresented in the population of waiting children of all ages. Families who are African American or Latino themselves should find a welcome at any agency with these children in its care. Caucasian families who are interested in adopting African American and/or Latino waiting children will find that recent legislation has made transracial adoption easier. (This legislation applies to waiting children of other minorities as well (with the exception of Native American children), though they are much fewer in number.

Adopting a Child Whose Race is Different from Yours
An adoption is transracial whenever the child and the adoptive parents do not have the same racial heritage. For families who want to adopt transracially, there are many possibilities. Most international adoptions are transracial, as are many adoptions of African American and Latino chidren in the United States. The Multiethnic Placement Act and Interethnic Adoption Provisions have made it easier for families to adopt waiting children transracially. If you think this type of adoption may be for you, you will want to do some careful thinking and preparation to be sure you can support your child's self esteem and appreciation of his or her ethnic heritage.

Adoption of a U.S. child by a U.S. resident is called domestic adoption. Adoption of a U.S. child by a resident of another country is considered international adoption. Children of all ages are adopted in the United States, but most of the children who are waiting in foster care are school-aged or teenagers. Babies in the United States are usually adopted by their foster parents, placed by private agencies with families who have waited a long time for them, or placed independently with the help of an adoption facilitator such as an attorney.

Waiting children reflect the population of the United States, in terms of racial and cultural diversity, although African American and Latino children are overrepresented, in comparison to their numbers in the rest of society. Some children have special needs, such as physical disabilities, learning differences, or mental retardation. Others may have only mild emotional problems, associated with experiencing separations and losses. Many U.S. children are part of a group of siblings who should remain together.

If you adopt a waiting child domestically, you will avoid high fees and international travel, though you may need to travel to another state. You will avoid the legal risk associated with adopting a newborn infant. You will be able to meet and visit with your child prior to placement. Your child will probably receive financial adoption assistance and medical assistance. A child adopted domestically may have an easier time maintaining or establishing contact with birth family members, which may be important as he or she grows older.

Questions to Ask about a Child's History
Children adopted from the foster care system come to families with a past. Many have been abused and neglected; others have moved often during their tenure in foster care. Some may have been exposed to alcohol and/or drugs in utero. It is important that parents know as much as possible about the child they are adopting.

• If the child was in foster care, why did he or she first come into foster care?
• With whom has the child lived? (This should include everyone who has cared for the child from birth to the present.)
• What were the circumstances behind each subsequent move? Was there new or different abuse or neglect in ensuing placements?