Exploring Adoption? Here’s What to Expect
If you’re exploring adoption and have questions about the adoption process in Ohio, Choosing Hope Adoptions is here to walk you through the process.
We’re Here to Help You Welcome a Child to Your Family
Many families begin exploring adoption after spending many years and a lot of money trying to have a baby. And many other people decided early in their lives that they wanted to adopt a child.
However you’ve reached your decision to adopt, we’re so excited for you and can’t wait to help you welcome the child you’ve longed for into your family! We’ll be by your side throughout the adoption process.
Here is an overview of the adoption process in Ohio.
Getting Started
If you’ve made the decision to move forward with adoption, the first thing you should do is assess your finances so that you’re prepared for the costs associated with adopting a child.
It’s also a good time to begin preparing your home for your anticipated new arrival.
When you work with an agency such as Choosing Hope Adoptions, you’ll begin the process by completing an application with the agency. Your application includes a background check and will determine whether your family meets the state’s—and the agency’s—requirements.
After the agency approves your application, the staff will work with you to gather the documentation required by the State of Ohio and the federal government. The documents will also be provided to the social worker assigned to administer your home study.
Your Home Study and Education
Once your application is approved, the next step is your home study and pre-adoption training. Both are required by the State of Ohio before continuing the adoption process.
The home study is not the same as the initial background check. Choosing Hope conducts a domestic study to evaluate your family’s readiness to adopt a child. During this process, we’ll examine your family’s financial stability and the overall mental and physical health of the prospective parents.
You don’t need to be rich or in 100% perfect health to adopt a child. What we look for in our home study is a family life that is stable and loving and one in which a child will thrive.
Introducing Your Family to Prospective Expecting Moms
You’ve completed your home study and adoption education. Now you get to introduce your family to expecting mothers by creating a Family Profile Book. We’ll work with you to create a profile that lets your family’s personality, values, and daily life shine through. We’ll present your profile to expecting mothers who would be a good fit with your family, based on the preferences you’ve set.
Waiting for a Expecting Mothers to Choose Your Family
This is often the hardest part of the adoption process as families cycle through anticipation and heartbreak waiting to be chosen. We wish we could predict precisely how long you’ll have to wait, but we’re dealing with people, and the human aspect is the most unpredictable part of the adoption process. In general, your family can expect to wait as long as two years for placement.
Once your family is chosen by a expecting mother, we’ll work to create a healthy relationship between your family and the expecting mom. Our hope is for both families to form a lasting bond, but we always honor the expecting mother’s wishes regarding contact after her baby is adopted.
Welcoming Your Child Home
Here’s where it gets real! Your family was chosen by a expecting mother, and she’s given birth. Now it’s time to welcome your new baby home. Once the birth parents terminate their parental rights, Choosing Hope places the child in your home while the adoption is finalized.
Your adoption process will be final after a hearing in an Ohio probate court, and you receive the adoption decree and your child’s new birth certificate.
By Your Side Every Step of the Way
When you work with Choosing Hope Adoptions in Ohio, you’ll have a committed partner by your side through every step of the adoption process. When you’re ready to explore adoption, give us a call.