Post-Adoption Support for You

Throughout your adoption journey, you will have friends, family and adoption professionals by your side every step of the way. The support you receive during the adoption process doesn’t end after your adoption finalization day.

Post-adoption support services vary from state to state, but with the help of a full-service, national agency like American Adoptions, you’ll have all the resources you need under one roof.

This guide will lay out the most critical post-adoption support services we offer hopeful families. You can get more free information online now or when you call 1-800-ADOPTION.

What Post-Adoption Services Do American Adoptions Offer?

Support after adoption consists of check-ups to make sure that adoptive families and adoptees have adjusted smoothly to their new lives.

From social worker visits to regular meet-ups with the birth parents, post-adoption support will help you maintain the relationships you built during the process. It can also help you feel like you’re a part of the adoption community.

Below, discover the post-adoption support American Adoptions is ready to give you:

Post-Placement Visits with Your Adoption Social Worker

During this time, your adoption social worker will visit your home and develop a report detailing both your adjustment and your child’s adjustment to the placement.

At this point, you will already have a good understanding of how the process works. That’s because it’s similar to the home study you’ll have completed earlier in your adoption journey.

Your post-adoption support specialist will discuss a variety of topics with you, such as:

• Developmental milestones

• Your child’s health

• Life after adoption

• Pediatrician visits

• And more

The main purpose of these post-placement visits is to ensure the placement is a good fit for both you and your child.

If you are concerned about meeting post-placement requirements, then here are some suggestions:

• Answer questions honestly. Your social worker will likely ask about your child’s growth and development. If there are things you need help with, it’s OK to tell them. They will be able to help you address any challenges you’re facing and find the resources you need.

• Think back to your home study. At this point in the adoption process, you have already completed the home study, which means a social worker has already determined that your home is safe for a child. When in doubt, try to maintain the same level of safety and tidiness as you did for your home study.

• Consider questions you would like to ask. Especially as first-time parents, it can be difficult to know if you are doing the “right” thing or if your child is developing “normally.” Your social worker can answer many of your questions and shed light on some of the unique joys and challenges of adoptive parenting.

Our child adoption services don’t end with placement. Our agency specialists will provide support and guidance for you long after adoption. Whatever questions or concerns you have in the years to come, we will always be there for you. We’re here to answer your questions and get you any post-adoption support you need.

Post-Adoption Support Groups Recommendations

Being a part of an adoption community is a great way to understand the lives of others who may share similar experiences.

That’s why we host several events throughout the year for all members of the American Adoptions family. When you work with our agency, you will have our support whenever you need it.

Also, the North American Council on Adoptable Children has a database of almost 900 adoption-related support groups that is a center for adoption support and education, which includes more information on specific groups that can help you. For instance, they can help with:

• Pre- and post-adoption

• LGBTQ+ adoption

• Single-parent adoption

• Transracial/transcultural adoption

• And much more

Post-Adoption Relationship with the Birth Parents

American Adoptions requires adoptive families to be comfortable with some level of contact with their child’s birth parent during and after adoption. This is otherwise known as “open adoption.”

After placement, you’ll need to be comfortable maintaining direct contact with the prospective birth parents. This form of communication will look different for everyone because it’s ultimately up to the birth parents.

Open adoption often includes communication such as:

• Periodic phone calls and texts

• Ongoing email communication

• Picture and letter updates

• Monthly, semi-annual or annual visits

• And more

For many adoptive parents, open adoption can seem overwhelming at first. But, you may be surprised to find how rewarding it is for you, and, most importantly, how beneficial it is for adoptees.

More than 90% of prospective birth parents are looking for some degree of openness. So, our requirements increase your chance of finding an adoption opportunity, too.

Adoption Tax Credits

The federal adoption tax credit allows eligible adoptive parents to claim adoption expenses as a credit on their federal taxes. These expenses include:

• Adoption fees

• Attorney fees

• Court costs

• Traveling expenses (including meals and lodging while away from home)

• And more

For domestic adoptions, you can claim the tax credit for qualified expenses within the year the adoption is completed. If the adoption is not completed, then you can claim the credit the following year.

If you need any help determining what forms you need and how to fill them out, then we can help. Contact us online at any time to get the help you need today.

Other Post-Adoption Support and Resources

The Child Welfare Information Gateway has many additional resources for adoptive families in the post-adoption stage, such as:

• Information on grants, loans and tax credits for adoption

• Listing of educational assistance programs

• General information on parenting after adoption

If you have more questions about post-adoption support services, then contact us today at 1-800-ADOPTION to get more free adoption information now.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.