Types of Adoption

Are you considering adoption? I am too.

Are you wondering where to start? I was asking myself that question about seven months ago.

There is a fair bit to learn. One can become overwhelmed in no time. Over the next few days, I will share ideas on what to do when you are just starting out.

Let’s start today!

There are different types of adoption. Which type of adoption are you interested in? You can do a domestic adoption, an international adoption, or you can adopt through your local department of children and families.

You can do an open or a close adoption.

You can adopt a child whose race is the same as yours or a child of a different race.

Domestic adoption: you adopt a child in the United States. In many cases, these children are newborns.

International adoption: You adopt a child from another country. In many cases, these children are older infants or young toddlers. In other words, they are in the nine to eighteen month range.

Adopting through your local department of children and families: this is pretty self-explanatory. In many cases, these children have been in foster care for a while. There are children of all ages. They were removed from “unfit” homes. Therefore, there is the possibility that there might be behavior issues and past history/traumatic events that you will want to be aware of.

Open adoption: you know the child’s birth parents. There is contact between the two families. It can be letters, sharing pictures, phone calls, visits, or all of the above. The frequency of the interactions is something the families will need to agree upon.

Close adoption: There is no interaction between the two families.

Transracial adoption: you adopt a child whose race is not the same as yours.

What type of adoption are you drawn to? As you learn more by reading websites or talking to different agencies, you might reaffirm your feelings or you might change your mind altogether.