The Best Rules To Follow When Adopting A Child

There are certain rules which, when followed correctly, lead to a smooth adoption process. If you follow these guidelines, you will have a greater chance of success…

1. Choose Your Country Wisely
2. Do Your Homework
3. Know The Laws Of The Land
4. Have A ‘Legal’ Agreement
5. Know The Right Questions To Ask
6. Visit An Adoption Professional At Least Twice

In this article, we’ll give you a quick, broad introduction to each of these six guidelines.

1) Choose Your Country Wisely

When deciding on the country from which to adopt, focus on what you can provide financially, not where children are most needed or where your family roots lie (for example, if you’re Irish).

Countries that receive large amounts of foreign aid are interested in adopting their own children; they may even require proof that adoptive parents have worked for three years before they start an adoption process. Countries like Russia and China do not like US citizens adopting their children because there is no perceived benefit to them. You need to be aware of this before you start the process.

The adoption process will take a while, so plan ahead. It could be two years before you bring your child home to the U.S.

Make sure that both parents are on board with adopting a child from another country. You’ll need your spouse’s support during challenging times and for any future children, you may have together. If one parent isn’t ready for this step, wait until they are or try adopting from a different country where the mentalities of people are more similar to your own country.

Don’t adopt a child just because you think it will help revive a struggling marriage or relationship; it won’t work in most cases and can actually do more harm than good.

2) Do Your Homework Before Making A Final Decision

Before you start the adoption process, you’ll need to dig into the country’s laws and regulations over adoption. For example, a lot of countries don’t allow a single parent or a same-sex couple from adopting a child. This is something you should definitely know before making any decisions.

In most cases, if one partner isn’t on board with adopting after knowing this information it probably means they never wanted to adopt in the first place.

3) Determine Your Ideal Adoption Option Before You Start The Process

So many people want to help children who are less fortunate than their own biological kids, but very few take the time to plan out an adoption that is sustainable and will leave them feeling fulfilled without regrets or guilt regarding their decision. For example, there are some countries that have waiting lists for adoption that are 10+ years long, and there’s no way of knowing if you will ever get an opportunity to adopt a child from one of those countries.

4) Have A Legal Agreement In Place Before Traveling

It’s crucial that you have an agreement in place before you travel to another country to start an adoption process. This will ensure there are no disputes later over whether or not the adoption is legitimate, who has parental rights, etc. You’ll need to choose an agency that can help with these legal aspects of your adoption.

5) Know The Right Questions To Ask The Adoption Agency

It’s vital that you ask the right questions when starting to look for an adoption agency. Some of the most important ones are:

a) What are your fees?

b) How long does an adoption typically take?

c) Who do I contact if I have any problems during the adoption process, are there independent contractors who can help me with specific issues related to my case?

d) Do you offer information about what happens after the child is placed in my home?

e) What kind of support will I get from local professionals and people working on this project?

f) Will I be dealing with a single point of contact at all times or multiple points of contact which will slow down the process.

6) Visit The Adoption Multiple Times Before Making A Decision

This step is important to ensure that your child is the right match for you. It will also allow you to get a feel for whether or not this particular adoption agency is a good fit for you and your needs.

So, there you have it, six easy-to-follow rules for adopting a child.