Showing posts with label Because You Asked. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Because You Asked. Show all posts

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Consent, Revocation, Finalization???? What Does It All Mean?

A lot of the fear surrounding adoption is in regards to the lack of understanding of these three important adoption vocabulary words. I'm hoping with a little "Adoption Vocabulary 101," I can demystify some of it for you!

Consent: Consent refers to the agreement by a parent, or a person or agency acting in place of a parent, to relinquish the child for adoption and to release all rights and duties with respect to that child. In most States, the consent must be in writing and either witnessed and notarized or executed before a judge or other designated official.

Revocation: The revocation period refers to the length of time the birth mother or father has to change their mind after signing consent.

Finalization: Finalization hearings usually take place within a year of the time the child is placed in the home. Your adoption is not legally complete until you have gone through the finalization process. Prior to finalization, post-placement visits are required to be preformed by the social worker who initially completed the home study. The court will seek to establish that the child has been placed in a loving, secure home. You should be prepared to present all information included in your adoption petition, and to answer questions about why you want to adopt, how you will care for your child, how your family is and will continue adjusting, and anything else the court feels is relevant. When the judge signs the adoption order, you gain permanent, legal custody of your child! Finalization is the last formal step of the adoption process, but just the beginning of your new family.

Variations in Law from State to State: The important thing to remember is that adoption law varies from state to state. The time period in which consent is signed varies from state to state. Revocation periods do not exists in all states. There are states where consent is irrevocable at the time of signing. The length of time before finalization also varies from state to state, from as little as a few days to as long as a year.

Working with an adoption consultant can help you to understand the adoption process more fully so that your adoption take place safely and quickly. If you are interested in learning more about domestic adoption and have questions about how an adoption consultant can help, please contact me.

Tracie Loux
Adoption Consultant
www.christianadoptionconsultants.com
tracie@christianadoptionconsultants.com
816-550-4707

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Because You Asked: What is a Profile?

A Family Profile is a creative way to tell a birth mother about your family, your thoughts on adoption, and your plans for the future. Over the years we’ve noticed that certain profiles stand out from the rest and are more appealing to birth moms than others. We get a lot of agency feedback on our profiles, and many times it is the profile presentation and design that attract the birth mom to our couples.

It is important that a profile be creatively and professionally done. The presentation of a profile to a birth mom is your first, and sometimes only, opportunity to introduce yourselves, and it is so important to put your best foot forward.

Creating the Family Profile is one of the services we offer, whether you are using our consulting services or not. We have learned over the years how to help couples communicate their thoughts to a birth mom in a warm and comforting way.

If you are interested in learning more about our services, please contact me at tracie@christianadoptionconsultants.com

Here are a few sample pages from one of the profiles that I have designed.




Monday, September 22, 2008

Because You Asked: What is a Home Study?

Each adoptive family is required to complete an adoption home study. This process is usually a 4-6 week period in which a licensed social worker is assigned to meet with the prospective family to determine their readiness to become adoptive parents. This can be an intimidating and stressful experience. You will need to find a licensed agency or licensed social worker in your area who does home studies. Our goal is to relieve some of the anxiety by connecting clients with a social worker or home study agency that meets their needs in regards to individual situations.

The home study usually consists of the following: A meeting with the husband and wife together, a meeting with the husband and the wife individually, and a visit to the prospective adoptive parent’s home.

Be prepared to discuss:
• Reason for infertility/reason for adoption
• Childhood experiences (how you were disciplined, relationship with siblings, etc)
• Current marriage, previous marriage(s) and reason for divorce (if applicable)
• How you discipline or plan to discipline your children
• How you solve conflict in your home
• Extended family's attitude towards adoption
• Trans-racial adoption (if you are open to other ethnic groups)

Typical Paperwork:
(most social workers/home study agencies require the following)

Marriage license and divorce decrees (if applicable)
Birth certificates
Copy of Drivers License
Recent pay stubs and Employment Verification
Proof of health insurance will be required (They will most likely want a copy of the card)
Physical examinations for all individuals over the age of 18 (You will need to obtain the form from the social worker before going to the doctor)
Tax forms for the previous year
Immunization records and letter of good health from pediatrician for children residing in the home
Immunization records for any family pets
3-4 reference letters from non-family members that you have known for at least one year (The letters need to state why they think that you will be a good candidate for adoption. They should also provide their phone numbers, and will most likely be contacted for a short telephone interview)
State criminal record check for anyone over the age of 18 living in the home (You can go to the police department and tell them that you need a criminal record check for the purpose of adoption)
Fingerprint cards (State and some times Federal fingerprint checks are required)
Fire Arm Statement (if you have fire arms they are properly stored and locked for safety)
Swimming Pool Statement (if you have a pool, proper safety precautions have been taken)
Reference letters from the prospective adoptive grandparents are usually needed (The letters need to state how they feel about having an adoptive grandchild, and how they plan to treat the child)
If you have a septic tank, they will require that you have it inspected

Paperwork is the most time consuming part of the home study process. By collecting your paperwork before your first visit, you will be able to speed up the process. This will be helpful if a placement is found for you in a short time frame.


If you have a concern about the home study process, please let us know. We will be happy to advise you and put your mind at ease prior to the home study process. The main thing to remember is to be completely honest during the entire home study process. It is better to have everything out in the open, rather than for them to discover that you have not been truthful.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Adoption Abbreviations 101

Great question about my last post, what do all those abbreviations mean?

Here it goes:
AA- African American
CC- Caucasion
Hisp- Hispanic
UN- Unknown

I think that about does it.