Adoption Frequently Asked Questions
Read through our frequently asked questions below
or choose from a specific topic under Frequently
Asked Questions on the left navigation.
What is A Child's Waiting
Adoption Program?
A Child's Waiting Adoption Program
is a family-operated agency that offers adoption agency services with
individualized attention to both adoptive families and birth parents around the United States. Our
family wants to help you do what is best for your
family, be it placing a child for adoption or becoming
an adoptive parent. We strive to help each individual
feel comfortable within our program by offering
a pro-active approach in terms of the education
and support offered throughout the entire adoption process.
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Who can be
an adoptive parent?
In order to be an adoptive parent,
there are no specific educational, religious or
financial requirements. You can live in a house,
mobile home, or apartment, be single or married.
What we look for in an adoptive family is a commitment
to helping a child adjust and have a happy, safe,
and stable life within your home.
The needed characteristics can be discussed in
more detail with an adoption agency representative.
A Child's Waiting Adoption Program
considers all applicants equally regardless
of race, color, origin, creed, culture, heritage,
ethnicity, age, handicap, geographic location or
religion.
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What adoption agency services
does A Child's Waiting provide for children and
families?
- We provide adoption services
to families around the United States.
- Part of our adoption agency services are that we train and develop potential
adoptive families through educational programming
and informational group meetings.
- We complete adoptive homestudies
for domestic adoption.
- We complete foster-to-adopt
homestudies for domestic adoptions.
- We complete adoptive homestudies
for international adoptions.
- We provide birth parent counseling.
- We take temporary and permanent
custody of children for the purpose of adoption.
- We work with agencies around
the country who have available children waiting for adoption homes while in foster care.
- We offer pre-finalization
support, case management, counseling, diagnostic
and therapeutic services, respite and crisis
intervention.
- We offer post-finalization
support and services as requested by families.
- We coordinate with A Child's
Waiting Worldwide for international adoptions
- We provide family preservation
services and assist families in replacement if
an adoption disrupts.
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What are the
training requirements to become an adoptive parent
in Ohio?
All prospective adoptive families
will complete training offered the first two weekends
of every other month (see upcoming trainings for
times and locations). This training will offer
a better understanding of the types of children
that are available for adoption as well as some
of the issues you will face as a family. We want
you to be prepared to bring a child into your home
and heart and therefore your education does not stop
after completing the training. We will work with
you throughout the entire adoption process, so that you understand
what may be going on inside of your child and family. As one of our adoption agency services, we
offer ideas on the best ways to handle issues
that may arise along the way. Training topic areas
include the following:
- Overview of the child adoption
process
- Child development
- Separation and Loss
- Dealing with behavioral challenges
- Cultural issues
- Caring for children who have
been sexually abused
- General child adoption issues
For families outside of Ohio,
we will supplement the education provided by your adoption
agency on an individuals basis.
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What type
of children are waiting for adoption?
A Child's Waiting Adoption Program
serves all children waiting for an out-of-home
or adoptive placement in Ohio as well as across
the United States. Children are of all races
and cultures from birth to age eighteen.
At Child's Waiting adoption agency, our services work to help place
children waiting for homes while in foster care
from around the country. Within the foster care
system, over half of the children are school age,
are part of a sibling group and/or are African
American.
Additionally, over half of the children are male.
These children that are waiting adoption come from various
backgrounds and may present somewhere on the continuum
of possible emotional and physical needs, behavioral
and educational challenges, developmental and/or
mental deficits, or possible medical diagnoses. The
levels of care will range from minimal to global
depending on the individual child. In addition,
these children will come from unique cultural,
ethnic, religious or racial backgrounds and are
in need of a stable out-of-home placement that
is sensitive to the circumstances of the child.
Adoptive families are also able
to be considered for domestic infants and toddlers.
Programs III, IV, and V are detailed in the program
guide. Birthmother's can place their child with
a family within A Child's Waiting Adoption Program
by reading profiles of families who are interested
in an infant or toddler placement. A Child’s
Waiting will help both the birth family and the
adoptive family through this entire adoption process so
that everyone feels comfortable with the decisions
being made.
Finally, ACW coordinates with A Child's Waiting
Worldwide that offers international placement from
the country of Nepal. The children range in age
from one year of age and older. More information
is available in the program guide or by request.
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What support
can I expect as an adoptive parent throughout
the process?
Homestudy Services for
Ohio families
A Child's Waiting will start
your family in the homestudy process quickly and
efficiently. A homestudy is a report written by
a certified adoption assessor after conducting
interviews with your family. It allows us to better
understand the unique qualities you can offer a
child. There are ten's of thousands of waiting
children and this report allows us to help your
child find you. No family will be placed on a waiting
list to have their homestudy completed. We will
work within your schedule to meet the goal of completing
your study in a timely manner.
Post-placement
Services will be provided to
the adoptive parent and child(ren) until their
adoption is finalized and beyond. The following services
will be provided by A Child's Waiting Adoption
Program or the adoptive family will be referred
to a community service provider. Adoption agency Services
may include but, not be limited to:
- Case management
- Counseling
- Crisis services
- Diagnostic services
- Therapeutic services
Post-finalization services
A Child's Waiting will always
be available for your family and child after finalization.
Several services are available. Once you become
a part of our family through adoption, we'll always
be there as a support.
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What fees
are involved for adoption?
A Child's Waiting offers numerous adoption programs. Please refer to the program
guide for detailed information.
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What financial
assistance is available to adoptive families?
There are numerous adoption programs available
for families that hope to adopt a child waiting
in foster care. Below are a few programs for which
your family may be eligible. A Child's Waiting
representative can tell you more.
1) Monthly cash stipend
You can receive upwards of $250.00
per month, per child to help meet their needs.
This money would continue until your child reaches
adulthood. This is only available for families
adopting a child waiting in foster care.
2) Special services subsidy
Post Adoption Services (PASSS)
and special service subsidies are set up to actually
directly pay providers that work with your child,
be they therapist or other types of specialty services.
3) Non- recurring expenses
Adoptive families are reimbursed
for their expenses up to $2,000.00 per child after
the adoption is finalized. This is only available
for families adopting a child waiting in foster
care.
4) Tax deductions
Talk to
your tax professional about tax deductions you
can claim for the year of your child adoption. The
current deduction is $10,630.00.
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I'm interested
in child adoption. What is the next step?
Complete the preliminary application.
It will be reviewed and you will receive written
notification of your acceptance or denial within
two weeks.
Where can I get more information?
We encourage you to contact us
directly either via our internet
contact form or at any of the phone numbers
below.
Phone number: 330-665-1811
or toll free 1-866-YES-ADOPT
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