Adoption is the ultimate "win-win" solution to two painful problems. Adoption is a legal process that gives adoptive parents rights and responsibilities and the adoptive child social, legal and emotional rights as a family member.

I Want to Adopt. Where Do I Start?

About 120,000 children are adopted by U.S. citizens every year. Approximately half of those are adoptions by people biologically unrelated to the child. The other adoptions are by grandparents, step parents, or other family members.

Where you need to start is by doing a thorough soul searching assessment. Adoption is a serious and life altering step. It alters not only your life, but that of a vulnerable child as well. You need to ask yourself these questions and give honest answers:

- Why are you considering adoption? Are you hoping to save a marriage or fit in with friends who have children? Or are you committed to the idea of parenting regardless of how your life may change in the future?

- Can you handle the idea of not being genetically related to your child? Do you think it may impact your relationship with them? What if you eventually have genetic children of your own, will you still feel as committed to an adopted child?

- Are you able to handle the adoption process? The interviewing and waiting process can be daunting. There may be age restrictions or other concerns that affect your ability to adopt easily. What if you cannot adopt an infant? What if the child is from a different culture, race or country?

- Have you done research on special needs or transracial adoption? Could you handle the financial costs of a child with disabilities? Would you make lifestyle changes for a transracial adoption to help the child feel comfortable and build self-esteem?

- Is parenting an adoptive child important to you? Have you always wanted to adopt or are you only recently considering the idea of adoption? Have you spoken to adoptive parents, known someone who was adopted or sought out information and advice about adopting?

You need to be brutally honest with yourself if you would be unable to fully and unconditionally love a child of another race, country or with discipline or health problems.

Will I Qualify as an Adoptive Parent?

A child doesn't need "perfect" parents and adoption agencies don't make unreasonable requirements. You will not be automatically disqualified if you are single, divorced, parenting other children, or because you have a disability. You do not have to own your own home. You do not have to be wealthy or highly educated.

You do have to be able to prove you can care for a child and provide a good, safe living environment. You do need to have tons of love available. A half-ton of patience would help, too.

If you are trying to adopt an infant, you may find additional restrictions because of such a high demand. If you are interested in adopting a Native American child and are not yourself a Native American, you may be disqualified.

There are more than 700 private agencies in the United States who place children from other countries for adoption by U.S. citizens. A few countries allow prospective adoptive parents to work through attorneys in addition to agencies.



How Long will it take?

Before you contact an agency or an attorney you need to do your homework and educate yourself about the way adoption works. Find out the facts about waiting times experienced and additional restrictions some agencies place on prospective parents.

Learn about the opportunities in adoptions for children with "special needs." Take your time, from 1 to 3 months. Join an adoptive support group. This is one of the biggest decisions in your life. Take another 3-6 months to make your decision.

The full process is likely to take 2-3 years, and this time spent in the beginning will pay off later, because you will be sure of your decision and will have thought through the answers to all the questions likely to come up in the application process and home evaluation.

How much will it Cost?

* The good news is there are programs to help defray the expense of adoption. The Federal Adoption Tax Credit was $10,630 in 2005. Don't assume the cost is out of reach. In many cases it is pretty close to the costs associated with pregnancy and childbirth.

* 50% of respondents to a recent survey said their adoption expense was under $15,000 while 40% spent between $20,000 and $30,000.

* Many employers have benefits associated with adoption such as loans, family leave, and health benefits.

There are literally hundreds of websites with excellent information about adoption.

Don't forget there are also unscrupulous people in the world, trafficking in children for adoption and defrauding unsuspecting, needy adoptive parents. Don't let yourself and/or your new child become a victim of a scam. Do your homework and know the details, so you'll be able to recognize a scam should it come along.

Whether you're a loving step parent eager to establish your child's legal rights as part of your family for purposes of inheritance and other legal issues, an infertile couple with love overflowing you hearts, or a single woman who yearns to give of herself to a child, find out all the facts BEFORE you get tangled up in the application process. You'll be glad you did.

Synonyms:  Doption, daoption, aadoption, aoption, aodption, addoption, adption, adpotion, adooption, adotion, adotpion, adopption, adopion, adopiton, adopttion, adopton, adoptoin, adoptiion, adoptin, adoptino, adoptioon, adoptio, and adoptionn are typos and mispellings for "adoption."