Whether you’re considering adoption in Oakland as a prospective birth parent or as a prospective adoptive parent, you’ll need access to regional resources and information that’s specific to Oakland. It can be frustrating when most guides cover all of adoption in California, and you can’t find the professionals you need in your area.

So, to make things simpler, we collected a list of everything you’ll need to complete the Oakland adoption process. Whether you’re thinking about adoption as a pregnant woman or as a hopeful parent, this is what you’ll need if you live in the Oakland area.

Oakland Adoption Agencies

As a national, full-service adoption agency, American Adoptions is able to help Oakland residents with whatever they need. We work with both prospective birth and adoptive parents to complete the process safely, and we continue supporting those who use our services throughout their lives. Our size and scope allow us to offer a number of beneficial services beyond what you'll find at most Oakland adoption agencies, including: 

• 24/7 Availability for Prospective Birth Parents - Our adoption specialists are available around the clock to provide the support, counseling, and unbiased information women need when they're exploring their unplanned pregnancy options. You can call our hotline any time at 1-800-ADOPTION, for free and with no obligation to make an adoption plan.
• Financial Protection for Adoptive Families - With some agencies, an adoption disruption can be financially devastating; if one opportunity doesn't work out, it could mean the end of the road for an adoptive family that doesn't have the budget to try again. But our industry-leading risk-sharing program protects adoptive parents' investment in the event of an adoption disruption. If an adoption opportunity doesn't work out, any funds invested in the adoption will be returned to the adoptive parents, so you can focus on emotional healing and move forward from the disruption at your own pace.
• A Greater Number of Adoption Opportunities - We work with prospective birth mothers and adoptive families across the country, not just in Oakland or throughout California. This means prospective birth parents have more adoptive families to choose from, giving them a better chance of finding the parents that perfectly meet the vision they have for their baby. It also means adoptive families have more adoption opportunities with our agency, leading to a shorter average wait time. 

These are just a few of many reasons to make American Adoptions your Oakland adoption agency. Another reason? You can enjoy all of these perks of working with a large, national professional, without sacrificing the local expertise and convenience of working with a local one. That's because American Adoptions has strong ties to California, with offices located just a few hours away in Fresno. Our nearest office is located at: 

7257 N. Maple Ave.
Suite 101
Fresno, CA 93720

Ready to start your Oakland adoption journey? Want to learn more about American Adoptions' services for prospective birth mothers and adoptive families in Oakland? Contact us today at 1-800-ADOPTION or request free information online.

Oakland Adoption Attorneys

Attorneys play an important role in each Oakland adoption process. They’re there to make sure that everything is legally sound but also to ensure that you fully understand everything that’s happening at each step. American Adoptions can always refer you to a California attorney we’ve worked with and trust, but you’re always welcome to select your preferred representative.

Some local options for attorneys include:

• Law Office of Shelley A. Gordon

• Emily Doskow

• The Wald Law Group, P.C.

• Gyemant Paris Law

• Bagner Law

• Cabello Lezin, LLP

Oakland Home Study Providers

Before an Oakland family can be considered eligible to adopt a child, they need to complete a California home study. This is an important step that assesses the family’s readiness for adoption and makes sure that they’re able to provide a safe, stable, and loving environment for a child. 

As a licensed home study provider in California, American Adoptions has streamlined the home study process so that you can complete your home study with us faster and more efficiently than any other agency.                             

Follow this link to begin your home study and to learn more about the services we offer.

Oakland Foster Care Professionals

Interested in becoming a foster parent or in adopting a child from foster care? American Adoptions is unable to complete foster care adoptions, but we’re always happy to put you in touch with Oakland-area organizations that are able to help with these types of placements, such as:

• Family Connections Christian Adoptions

• Alameda County Social Services Agency

• Seneca

• Family Builders

• Alternative Family Services

• Triad Family Services

• Casey Family Programs

• East Bay Agency for Children

• Agape Villages Foster Family Agency

• Northern California Family Center

Oakland International Adoption Agencies

If you’re thinking about adopting a child from another country, you’ll need to reach out to an international adoption agency in Oakland, Calif., for more information. They’ll be able to tell you more about which countries they’re licensed to complete adoptions in. There are a couple professionals in the area that should be able to help with international services, including:

• Family Connections Christian Adoptions

• Across the World Adoptions

• Adopt International

Oakland Hospitals

Pregnant women who are planning to place a baby for adoption in Oakland create a hospital plan that they feel comfortable with. Part of their plan includes choosing which hospital they want to give birth in. The adoptive family a woman chooses will usually be there at that hospital to support her through her labor (depending on her comfort level), so the family may need to travel.

Here are some local options for maternity hospitals that might be helpful when creating a hospital plan:

• Kaiser Permanente East Bay – Oakland Medical Center

• Sutter Birth Center

• Highland Hospital

• Pacifica Maternity

Oakland Court System

The last legal step of the Oakland, California, adoption process is finalization. This involves a short and simple hearing in Alameda County, which occurs a few months after the baby has been placed with his or her adoptive parents. At the finalization, the judge will grant the adoption decree. Friends and family members are welcome to attend and take a few photos.

Oakland Tourism

If the adoptive family is coming in for a placement from out-of-state, they’ll need to stay in California during ICPC clearance. Or, the prospective birth and adoptive families may be meeting up in Oakland for open adoption visits and want to go on some fun outings together.

You might not be familiar with the area, but Oakland always has things to do, including:

• University of California Botanical Garden

• Chabot Space and Science Center

• The Oakland Zoo

• USS Hornet

If you need more information about the Oakland adoption process, contact us now to speak with a licensed social worker and find out how we can help. Whether you’re a hopeful parent or you’re pregnant and considering adoption in Oakland, CA, American Adoptions is always here to answer your questions and can start your adoption journey whenever you’re ready.

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.