How Many Ways to Adopt Are There?

Exploring the Many Types of Adoption

Adoption is a complex subject, to say the least. Part of its complexity is that there are many different types of adoption. Whether you are a prospective birth parent, a hopeful adoptive family or someone who is simply curious, we’ve prepared this comprehensive list just for you.

If you would like to get free adoption information now, then feel free to contact us online at any time.

Meanwhile, you can continue reading to learn all that you need to know about the many different ways to adopt a child.

What Are the Different Ways to Adopt?

From a general perspective, there are three main ways to adopt a child: domestic infant adoption, foster care adoption and international adoption. There are other types of adoption, too, but these are the three primary categories. As their names imply, domestic and foster care adoption occur in the U.S. while international adoptions are facilitated abroad.

But, there are many other differences to bear in mind. Below, we’ll go into detail about the three main types of adoption and some other types, as well.

Domestic Infant Adoption

Also known as private infant adoption, domestic infant adoption is when a prospective birth mother places their baby with a hopeful adoptive family of their choice. This type of adoption is done within the United States and involves the placement of newborns and infants rather than older children.

Underneath the umbrella of domestic infant adoption, though, are three other ways to adopt:

In this type of adoption, the prospective birth parent and the hopeful adoptive family exchange identifying and contact information. In other words, the birth mother can stay in touch with their child and the adoptive family for years to come through open adoption.

When it comes to domestic infant adoption, semi-open adoption is the most popular option. This is a type of adoption in which the adoption professional mediates all contact between the two parties. It allows birth parents to maintain a bit of privacy without sacrificing a relationship.

In movies, you may have seen a birth mother dropping off a baby at the door of a fire station or orphanage, never to see or hear from their child again. This isn’t the reality of adoption. Closed adoption is extremely rare by today’s standards, as the vast majority of adoptions contain at least some degree of openness. Even when an adoption is closed, it is done in a safe, legal way with the help of an adoption professional.

Even then, there is also independent adoption, which is when a birth mother and adoptive family already know one another and have foregone the help of an adoption agency. Still, it is recommended to work with an adoption agency to ensure a smooth, legal and ethical process.

If you are looking for adoption professionals who coordinate domestic infant adoption, then we have provided a list to get you started:

To start your domestic infant adoption journey at American Adoptions, you can fill out our online contact form whenever you’re ready to get in touch.

Foster Care Adoption

One of the other ways to adopt a child is through foster care adoption. You may have guessed it, but this is when hopeful adoptive parents build their family by adopting a child from the foster care system. Whereas domestic infant adoption primarily concerns itself with babies, foster care adoption is mainly for parents who want to adopt an older child or sibling group.

Still, adoption is a secondary goal for the foster system. Its main objective is reuniting the child with their birth family. As a result, this can lead to an occasionally lengthy and drawn-out process that may not even result in adoption at all. Keep this in mind if you’re a hopeful adoptive parent who is leaning toward foster care adoption.

Also, here are some foster care adoption professionals that can help you out with the process:

International Adoption

Adopting a child from a different country is another one of the ways to adopt. This is known as international adoption. Generally speaking, this type of adoption often takes quite a while because both parties have to navigate the laws of two different countries. There is also the potential language barriers, travel logistics and long wait times to work through.

If you are a hopeful adoptive parent considering international adoption, then there are a couple of things that you’ll need to be mindful of. Make sure that you work with a Hague-certified agency to ensure that your adoption is fair, legal and ethical. Also, consider the cultural aspects of this type of adoption. How will you educate your child about and respect their ethnicity, culture and heritage? It’s always a question worth asking.

Although international adoption is becoming increasingly rarer, here are a couple of international adoption professionals if you know that this type of adoption is right for you:

If you have any more questions about the ways to adopt, then we are more than happy to answer them for you. Contact us online today to get more free information now.

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