While establishing your open adoption relationship with your child’s birth family, you will work together to create a plan that is mutually beneficial and which seeks to meet the needs of everyone involved.

Pre-Adoption Education

We encourage families to start their adoption journey by attending an adoption information session to learn about the adoption process.

Your pre-adoption education in this program will be comprised of on-site PAC (pre-adoptive counseling) training and web-based training through Adoption Learning Partners.

The Home Study

The home study process includes several meetings with your adoption worker and a visit to your home. The study also includes a complete criminal and child-abuse background check, medical examinations, reference letters, and other state- and federally-mandated requirements. Your adoption worker will guide you through the adoption process, as well as other pre-adoption requirements.

Meeting Expectant Birth Parents

As a client in this program, you can choose to include your profile in our Family Profile Book and on our Family Web Listing— two means of outreach that may result in a birth parent choosing to make an adoption plan with you. The book is available to expectant parents living in Minnesota who are working with our main office’s Pregnancy and Birth Parent Services. If you place your profile on our Family Web Listing, it is available to any birth parent across the U.S. who is considering adoption.

With networking opportunities enhanced by internet resources and a growing appreciation of open adoption, your ability to connect with a birth parent who is considering adoption is greater than ever. We encourage you to network and will provide you with the tools and support you need.

Whether through agency profiles or personal outreach, when an expectant parent expresses interest in meeting you, the next step is a match meeting, which provides an opportunity for you to connect prior to committing to a match. If the match is mutually agreed upon, we will assist in creating an adoption plan and preparing for the child’s birth.

Placement and Finalization

Adoptive families in the Domestic Infant Open Adoption program may bring the child home directly from the hospital or shortly after birth. This is considered a “legal risk” placement for a period of time according to the state in which the child was born. The adoptive placement is supervised by our agency for a minimum of six months after placement, after which time you will be able to finalize your adoption in court.

Dedicated to Supporting You Throughout the Journey

Families receive ongoing support and assistance in building a relationship with their child’s birth family, both during the pregnancy and beyond.

Because adoption is a lifelong journey, families also have the opportunity to participate in ongoing education, support and referral services through our Post Adoption Services.

You may choose to join our program through one of the two service tracks described below. Please keep in mind that with infant open adoption there is no way to predict or guarantee the time frame in which a placement will occur, the child’s birth parents decide which family feels like the best fit for their child.

Profile & Outreach Service Track

Joining our Family Profile Book and Family Web Listing is a useful way to connect with expectant parents in addition to your outreach efforts. Here are a few things to keep in mind about the timeline for this process:

• After your Eligibility and Registration Form is processed, you will immediately receive the application documents to continue the home study process.
• When you receive verbal recommendation for home study approval, you are ready to join the profile service. Note: our profile service has a maximum capacity. Should it be full at the time you are ready to join, you will be invited in as others transition out at placement.
• Once you begin the profile service, your profile will be added to the Family Profile Book and Family Web Listing.
• When you are home study approved, you can also immediately begin working on all outreach efforts with the support of an adoption worker. For ideas for successful outreach, please check out our Top Seven Outreach Tips for Domestic Infant Waiting Families.

Outreach & Designated Service Track

Families who prefer to focus on personal outreach options, or who have a match prior to beginning their legal adoption process can elect to follow our Outreach & Designated Track. Here are a few things to keep in mind about the timeline for this process:

• After your Eligibility and Registration Form is processed, you will immediately receive the application documents to continue the home study process.
• Once your home study is approved, you can immediately begin working on all outreach efforts (other than family profile services) with the support of an adoption worker. For ideas for successful outreach, please check out our Top Seven Outreach Tips for Domestic Infant Waiting Families.

Should families in this track choose to switch to the Profile & Outreach Service Track, their adoption worker can assist them with the transition.

Consultation
An adoption counselor will consult with you on your specific designated adoption situation to determine the needs of the adoptive and birth families, and to plan for services to meet those needs. We will consult with all attorneys and agencies involved to coordinate a plan. We also utilize our experience, knowledge and connections to help families navigate the process of connecting with a birth family in another state.

Collaborative Relationships
We have developed and maintain effective collaborations with outside resources critical to a designated adoption process such as Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, Indian Law Center, and Department of Human Services.

Expedited Services
Many designated situations can be time-critical. We will act responsively to ensure the best opportunity for adoptive families to complete the requirements necessary for the placement of a child into their home.

The total cost of your domestic infant adoption will be mostly made up of fees and expenses which can be broken into two categories:

• Adoption Service Fees and Potential Program Fees, including: preparation, home study, agency/attorney coordination, post placement supervision, etc.
• Birth Parent Service Program Fees, including: education, unlimited counseling, and support, assistance with implementing an adoption plan, etc. Note: Families working with birth parents who are not working with Children’s Home and LSS should expect to pay birth parent fees to whoever is providing those services.

In addition,  you may encounter additional fees and expenses which will be paid directly to a third party (e.g. travel, attorney fees, etc.).